Six-year-old boy's body found in vacant lot in Maceió

The body of six-year-old Peterson Ykaro Gomes Cardoso was discovered in a vacant, overgrown lot in Maceió on Monday night, June 6th. The discovery was made on Avenida José Moura Rocha in the Cidade Universitária neighborhood. The boy had spent the weekend with his retired military father, Edílson Cupertino Cardoso, as his parents are divorced. When the father went to take Peterson Ykaro to his mother, Érika Santos Gomes da Silva, he found she had not yet returned from work. Consequently, he left the child at the home of his maternal great-aunt and uncle. Later, the mother contacted the father inquiring about their son and was informed he was with his great-aunt and uncle. Upon arriving at their home, she found no one present. The family initiated a search after realizing the child was missing. Witnesses reported seeing the boy holding hands with a man walking towards the vacant lot. The man reportedly left the area alone shortly after. A family member eventually found Peterson Ykaro's body in the lot. The cause of death is currently unknown. The Criminalistics Institute and the Legal Medical Institute were called to the scene for forensic examination and body retrieval. The Civil Police, specifically the Homicide and Personal Protection Department (DHPP), have begun their investigation into the case, and no arrests have been made.