Missing Michigan Boy: Body Of Father Found After 2 Weeks While Disappearing On Fishing Trip

The body of a Michigan man was found and identified Tuesday after disappearing over two weeks ago while fishing with his 6-year-old son.

The Brownstown Township Police Department said it was called Monday by a local fisherman who said he had found a body near the mouth of Lake Erie while out on the water. Police said the department worked with members of the Downriver Dive Team to recover the body of 29-year-old Justin Oaks.

The cause of death for Oaks has not been confirmed.

The body of Oaks’ son, Jaxon Oaks, has not been found.

The pair was last seen on March 29 when they left their home around 9:45 a.m. in South Rockwood, Michigan, to go fish at Lake Erie. Police said Oaks launched their boat out of the Downriver Marina and Campground around 10:30 a.m.

The last contact anyone had with the pair was around 12:30 p.m. while they were still out on the lake. Relatives later reported the two missing to police.

Brownstown police said it was working with Flat Rock police, Rockwood police, Great Lakes Water Recovery, and volunteers, who began searching the surrounding areas on March 30. The search area expanded as the week progressed after search parties failed to find any evidence.

Crews found the boat on April 5 while searching the Huron River.

The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children describes Jaxon Oaks as a white male, who is 4-foot-tall and 44 pounds, with brown hair and brown eyes. He was reportedly wearing a camouflage jacket, blue sweatpants, and a tan hat at the time he disappeared.

Michigan State Police has asked anyone with information that could aid search efforts to contact the department or local law enforcement as soon as possible.