Three-Year-Old Wearing Only a Diaper Found Dead Hours Later in Sub-Freezing Temperatures

Titus Tackett, age 3, disappeared from his grandfather's house wearing only a diaper in sub-freezing temperatures.

A 3-year-old boy who went missing from his grandfather's house wearing only a diaper has been found dead inside a van less than a mile away, authorities said.

The body of Titus Tackett was discovered inside a van, covered in a blanket Missouri authorities announced Wednesday. A massive search, including dogs and a helicopter with infrared radar, had been launched for the missing toddler.

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The boy had been staying with his grandfather while his parents went out Tuesday night, police said. The couple returned about 1 a.m. Wednesday to find the front door standing open and the child gone.

The child's body was found about 10 hours later.

Overnight temperatures hovered around 15 degrees in the rural area about 90 miles south of St. Louis.

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Iron County Sheriff Roger Medley said an autopsy will be conducted to determine if foul play was involved.

A volunteer searcher saw the child's body inside the van and alerted authorities, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported.

Watch: Hear the Emotional 911 Call After Toddler Found in Field Following 2-Day Search