Community memorial service to be held for Mikaeel Kular in Edinburgh

Police 'strongly believe' dead child found in Kirkcaldy is Mikaeel

A police officer stands guard near the home of missing boy Mikaeel Kular

Residents of the Edinburgh community rocked by the apparent death of three-year-old Mikaeel Kular are holding a memorial service for the boy.

Although police have not formally identified a child’s body found in Kirkcaldy, Fife, officers “strongly believe” it is Mikaeel.

Robert Pearson, chairman of Tenants and Residents in Muirhouse (TRIM), where the little boy lived with his family, said he was proud of how the community united in desperate searches for the boy.

He added: “Sometime it takes something like this to bring people together. I have seen older people, young people, families and teenagers all giving up their time to search the entire area over the past two days.

“Obviously, as time went on we were all aware that the chances of a positive [outcome] were diminishing but that never stopped us.

“People continued to turn up at all times of the day and night to help, and everyone who got involved should be so proud of themselves.”

Their hopes were ended by the grim discovery shortly before midnight, when a bungalow believed to belong to Mikaeel’s aunt was sealed off.

His mother, named locally as Rosdeep “Rosie” Kular, 33, has been detained by the police.

Mr Pearson urged people not to jump to conclusions about Mikaeel’e s death and to remain calm.

The memorial service will be at 7pm in nearby Muirhouse St Andrew’s Church.

Mikaeel disappeared after he was put to bed by his mother at their home in Ferry Gait Crescent at 9pm on Wednesday.

He lived there with his two older half-brothers, a five-year-old half-sister and his twin sister.

Police confirmed yesterday that he had not attended Flora Stevenson Nursery since Christmas and said a “criminal act” was possible.

Video: Search for Mikaeel Kular