He was only eight. A cheerful boy who never made it home that Friday evening — and now, heartbreak.

Little Fabian L. from Güstrow has been confirmed dead after one of the largest searches in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern in years. Police say the child was the victim of a violent crime. For days, hundreds searched with drones, dogs, and posters. “We still hoped he’d come back smiling,” one volunteer shared quietly.

The search ended in tragedy when a passerby found a small body in a field near Klein Upahl, fifteen kilometers from Fabian’s home. Investigators say signs point to foul play but are keeping details private. “It’s every parent’s worst nightmare,” said a local resident, as candles and toys filled the steps of St. Mary’s Church.

The last person who may have seen Fabian was a shop owner who spotted a little boy playing in autumn leaves by the Eisenbahnstraße bus stop — just before he vanished.

An entire community now mourns one child — and prays that justice will come soon.