Al Qassim police have arrested a man on charges of murdering a seven-year-old boy who was reported missing last Thursday at Al-Aqer town. The body of Turki Amaish Najea’ Al-Mutairi was recovered by a Civil Defense team from a 15-meter-deep well in the desert.

On interrogation by police, the accused, who is in his 40s, confessed to killing the boy and throwing his body into the well, police Capt. Bader Al-Shaibani said.

Al-Mutairi’s parents reported to Al-Samouriah police station that their son, who was playing next to his father’s barn in Riman Center under Daryah Governorate, had gone missing. He was last seen running after his father’s car before he disappeared. His parents suspected the hand of the arrested person in their son's disappearance. On interrogation, the man confessed to the crime.

The investigating officer accompanied by other police officers from Derya, Al-Samouriya and Al-Thahiriyah police stations went to place where the well was located. The team was backed by the criminal investigation authority and special tasks unit. The child was found dead in the well.

Forensic medicine and criminal investigation experts inspected the scene of crime and conducted their preliminary investigations.

Medical experts examined the body to determine the cause of death, and investigations are under way to uncover the circumstances leading to the incident and the motive behind the murder.