“Please Help Us Find Him”: Family of Missing 4-Year-Old in Massachusetts Begs for Prayers, Support

What was supposed to be an ordinary Saturday evening turned into every parent’s worst nightmare.

Four-year-old Azriel López disappeared into the rushing waters of the Merrimack River in Lowell, and since then, his family has been living in a state of heartbreak, uncertainty, and hope.

A Moment That Changed Everything

Azriel had been playing near the Western Canal, close to where it meets the Merrimack River behind 300 Arcand Drive, when tragedy struck. Just before 6 p.m., a 911 call went out reporting a child in the water.

His mother was with him and saw it happen, but the river’s swift current pulled him under before anyone could reach him. It was a matter of seconds.

Authorities say the boy may have fallen into the canal and was then swept into the river. The details are still being pieced together, but for the López family, what matters most now is bringing Azriel home.

A Father’s Cry for Help

Joan López, Azriel’s father, has been at the river day and night, searching, waiting, praying. He’s pleading with the community — and anyone who can — to help.

“We want this to be over,” he said through a translator. “We want to find him. This is not just happening to us. It could happen to any family. We need help, prayers, anything.”

Joan described Azriel as a vibrant, curious little boy who loved to run and laugh. He said his son was hyperactive and needed constant attention, something the family was always mindful of.

“He’s just a little kid,” Joan said. “He didn’t deserve this.”

Search Efforts Stretch Along the River

Since the moment Azriel disappeared, an intensive search operation has been underway. Crews from the Lowell Fire Department, State Police, Environmental Police, UMass Lowell Police, and surrounding towns like Dracut and Lawrence have joined the effort.

Drones, boats, divers, and helicopters have been deployed — scouring the riverbanks and water from Lowell all the way downstream. Wind and current have made the work difficult, but no one is giving up.

Emergency teams say they will continue the search every day, starting at dawn and going until dark.

A City Holding Its Breath

Neighbors, friends, and even strangers have come forward to support the family. Some have helped with the search, others have brought food and water, while many are offering prayers.

Johnny Velez lives in the area and showed up to help. “As a parent myself, I feel what they feel,” he said. “We all hope he’s found. We’re not giving up hope.”

It’s a sentiment echoed by many in the city — heartbreak, yes, but also unity. A shared determination to do everything possible for a little boy who should be running around a playground, not missing in a river.

Holding On to Hope

For now, Azriel’s family is clinging to hope — the kind that keeps them standing at the river’s edge, scanning the water, waiting for any sign.

They’ve asked the public to stay alert and to report anything unusual seen near the riverbanks. And more than anything, they’re asking for prayers.

“We’re asking the community to come together and help us,” Joan said. “We just want our son back.”

As daylight fades each night and the river keeps flowing, the city of Lowell is united in one hope — that Azriel López will be found and brought home to the family that loves him beyond words.