Body of missing 1-year-old swept away by Florence floodwaters found in Union County, North Carolina

The Union County Sheriff’s Office confirmed deputies have located the body of the missing 1-year-old, who was swept away in rushing waters Sunday night as Florence dumped rain across North Carolina.

Search activities resumed Monday after crews spent several hours searching for Kaiden Lee-Welch on the ground and in the nearby creek, authorities confirmed to WSOC-TV.

Union County Sheriff’s Office spokesman Tony Underwood said a woman and her child were on their way to visit relatives when she drove past some barricades on Highway 218 in northern Union County. The woman later told authorities someone had pushed the barricades to the side a little, making her think it was OK to go through.

The woman’s car was swept off the road by the floodwaters, pinning it against a group of trees. She was able to free 1-year-old Kaiden from his car seat and escape. But the waters were deep, and Underwood said the woman lost her grip and her son was swept away.

Governor Roy Cooper confirmed at a press conference Monday that 17 people have died in North Carolina from the storm. The North Carolina Department of Public Safety released a break-down of deaths per county.