After an eight-month search, authorities in South Jakarta have discovered remains believed to be those of 6-year-old Alvaro Kiano Nugroho, who disappeared in March while reportedly walking to a local mosque for evening prayers during Ramadan. The revelation, announced Sunday by South Jakarta Police Chief Kombes Nicolas Lilipaly, brings a somber progress to a case that has gripped the community and prompted an extensive search effort coordinated with Metro Jaya Regional Police. Police have detained one person in connection with the case as they await forensic confirmation of the remains’ identity.
The body of a 6-year-old boy who had been missing for eight months has been found in South Jakarta, police confirmed Sunday. Alvaro Kiano Nugroho was last seen in March, and authorities believe the remains discovered are his.
“We have discovered skeletal remains believed to be those of Alvaro,” said South Jakarta Police Chief Kombes Nicolas Lilipaly.
Police are awaiting the results of DNA testing and forensic analysis to positively identify the remains, Lilipaly added. “But we need confirmation first through DNA checks and lab examination,” he said.
One Person Detained
Authorities have taken one person into custody in connection with the case, according to Pesanggrahan Police Chief AKP Seala Syah Alam.
“The suspect is currently being held,” Syah Alam told reporters Sunday.
Mother Details Alvaro’s Disappearance
Alvaro’s mother, Arumi, previously reported her son missing on March 6, 2025, shortly before sunset. She explained that Alvaro routinely walked to a nearby mosque for evening prayers during Ramadan.
On the day he disappeared, Alvaro left home in the late afternoon and did not return. After hours passed, Arumi began searching for him, reviewing security camera footage from around their neighborhood.
“He didn’t come home after prayers. I started looking for him around 7, 8 p.m., but couldn’t find him. By 10 p.m., he still wasn’t back. I asked his friends at the mosque, but they said he hadn’t been there with them that afternoon. It seems likely he was abducted before prayers,” Arumi said.
She stated that she immediately considered contacting the police but ultimately filed a report, prompting a search effort. “The Metro Jaya Regional Police also called to offer assistance with the search,” she said.
Arumi described an extensive search, including distributing posters throughout Jakarta and utilizing social media to spread awareness of her son’s disappearance. Despite these efforts, she was unable to locate him.
She also noted that she had not received any ransom demands, but was instead targeted by scammers claiming to have information about Alvaro’s whereabouts. “There were no typical kidnapping demands for money. Instead, many people tried to scam me, saying they knew where my son was. I even went to Bekasi late at night based on one of these leads, but it was a hoax,” she said.
Arumi said police investigated all family members, including Alvaro’s father, from whom she is separated. His father and extended family also participated in the search.
“Police investigated every family member, including his father’s side, as a matter of course. They were questioned and their homes were searched, but he wasn’t with them, and they were also actively searching,” Arumi explained.
She added that her family has always maintained good relationships with their neighbors and that she is now left feeling helpless. “Everyone keeps asking if there were any problems, but there weren’t. We’ve always lived a quiet life. I’m just at a point where I’ve lost hope and don’t know what else to do,” she said.
The prolonged search for Alvaro highlights the anxieties surrounding child safety in the region and underscores the challenges faced by families dealing with missing persons cases.
