Belgian authorities have discovered what they believe to be the body of Tyméo Brigou, a five-year-old boy who went missing alongside his father nearly two months ago, officials confirmed at a press conference held by the Namur prosecutor's office. While formal identification is still pending, investigators say there are strong indications that the remains belong to Tyméo.

The boy and his 29-year-old father, Bryan Brigou, were last seen on the afternoon of 27 June in Onhaye, a small municipality in the Belgian province of Namur, close to the French border. Bryan's car was found the following day in the car park of a local football club, but neither father nor son had been traced since. A public appeal for witnesses was renewed a month later, yet the investigation yielded no breakthrough — until now. The body was discovered roughly two kilometres from where the car had been parked, in a densely overgrown roadside verge along the N97 road, in an area of woodland described as extremely difficult to access. Aerial searches had previously swept the location without result because thick shrubs and brambles obscured the view from above.

The breakthrough came after a detective reviewed earlier witness statements and went back to re-interview people connected to the case. One of those conversations produced new information that allowed searchers to focus on a specific area. Tyméo's maternal grandmother told reporters that the clothing found on the body appeared to match what the boy was wearing on the day he disappeared — an account corroborated by investigators. Items belonging to Bryan were also found near the body, though the father himself remains missing. An autopsy scheduled for the day after the discovery is expected to confirm the identity of the remains and may shed light on the cause of death, which has not yet been disclosed. DNA analysis could also be used depending on the pathologist's findings.

Gerry Van Loock of Belgium's Missing Persons Unit — the national authority that coordinates searches for missing people — was careful to note that no official confirmation had been made. "We cannot give any confirmation; the identification process is under way," he said, while acknowledging that multiple circumstantial factors pointed strongly to the body being Tyméo's. The father's whereabouts remain unknown, and authorities say all hypotheses remain open, including the possibility that Bryan is also dead, that both were victims of criminal acts, or that he bears direct responsibility for his son's fate. According to those close to the family, Bryan had struggled with drug problems and had disputes with dealers, and had reportedly feared for his son's safety. The investigation is continuing.