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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.
In pictures: The search for Edinburgh boy Mikaeel KularShow all 14 1 /14In pictures: The search for Edinburgh boy Mikaeel Kular In pictures: The search for Edinburgh boy Mikaeel Kular Edinburgh A house in Kirkcaldy, Fife, believed to belong to Mikaeel's aunt, the sister of his mother, was sealed off by police during the night
In pictures: The search for Edinburgh boy Mikaeel Kular Edinburgh A small wooded area close to the bungalow in Kirkcaldy has also been cordoned off and was being guarded by police officers
In pictures: The search for Edinburgh boy Mikaeel Kular Edinburgh Assistant Chief Constable Malcolm Graham said the body of a young child was recovered in Fife just before midnight. Forensics were later on site
In pictures: The search for Edinburgh boy Mikaeel Kular Edinburgh The grim discovery comes after days of desperate searches by hundreds of volunteers. Here a tribute was left outside the bungalow in Kirkcaldy
In pictures: The search for Edinburgh boy Mikaeel Kular Edinburgh Superintendent Liz McCainsh holds a photo of missing 3-year-old boy Mikaeel Kular as part of the extensive search
In pictures: The search for Edinburgh boy Mikaeel Kular Edinburgh Forensic teams check a property during the search for missing three-year-old boy Mikaeel Kular
In pictures: The search for Edinburgh boy Mikaeel Kular Edinburgh Police officers search the Ferry Gait Crescent neighborhood of Mikaeel Kular near his home
In pictures: The search for Edinburgh boy Mikaeel Kular Edinburgh Police conduct a search on Ferry Gait Crescent where Mikaeel Kular has gone missing from his home
In pictures: The search for Edinburgh boy Mikaeel Kular Edinburgh A police officer stands guard near the home of missing boy Mikaeel Kular
In pictures: The search for Edinburgh boy Mikaeel Kular Edinburgh Members of a Mountain Rescue team prepare to search local gardens for missing three-year-old boy Mikaeel Kular
In pictures: The search for Edinburgh boy Mikaeel Kular Edinburgh A member of a Mountain Rescue team searches local gardens for missing three-year-old boy Mikaeel Kular
In pictures: The search for Edinburgh boy Mikaeel Kular Edinburgh Members of the coastgaurd search the coastline near Cramond for missing 3 year-old boy Mikaeel Kular in Edinburgh
In pictures: The search for Edinburgh boy Mikaeel Kular Edinburgh Members of the coastgaurd search the coastline near Cramond for missing three-year-old boy Mikaeel Kular
In pictures: The search for Edinburgh boy Mikaeel Kular Edinburgh Coastguard officers search the shoreline near Crammond, after three-year-old Mikaeel Kular went missing from his home in Ferry Gait Crescent
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
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