A day ago, social media was abuzz with stories on the efforts to trace the 6-year-old girl Devananda from Kollam. Many celebrities, including actors Mammootty, Mohanlal and Kunchacko Boban, had shared Devananda's photograph, urging people to help find the child.

On Friday morning, the body of the missing child was found in the Ithikkara river that flows close to her home. The body was recovered after intense search operations were carried out by the police and people from the locality. The police have confirmed her identity and the body has been sent for autopsy.

Devananda, fondly called as Ponnu by her parents, was at home when her mom Dhanya went to wash clothes outside. When she followed her mom, she was told to stay back at home and take care of her younger brother, who is just 3 months old. 15 minutes later when Dhanya returned home, Devananda was nowhere to be seen. Following this, Dhanya searched the neighborhood but to no avail.

According to Dhanya, she did not note anything suspicious or heard the sound of any vehicle while washing clothes. Even neighbors say that the child usually doesn't go outside the house or to the road to play in the river without informing her mother.

Devananda is the daughter of Pradeep Kumar and Dhanya. Devananda’s father Pradeep works abroad. The family lives at Dhanesh Bhavan, Thadathilmukku, Elavur in Puliyila. After the child went missing, Pradeep flew down to hometown, only to know that his dear daughter is dead.