‘Worst nightmare’: Heartbreaking update in search for boy, 5, missing from southwest Sydney

Authorities have issued a tragic update in the search for a young boy reported missing from southwest Sydney.

Heartbreaking scenes are unfolding at the home of an five-year-old boy, after police confirmed they had located a child’s body days after he was reported missing from Sydney’s southwest.

Essa Dennaoui was last seen on Epsom St in Chipping Norton in Western Sydney about 6.30pm on Thursday.

When the boy could not be located or contacted, police were notified and an investigation was launched into his whereabouts.

Essa Dennaoui was last seen at 6.30pm on Thursday evening at his Western Sydney home. Picture: NSW Police

Eman Hazzouri and her son were shaken by the tragedy. Picture: NewsWire/ Gaye Gerard

Police on Friday said a body had been located shortly after 10pm on Thursday in water at the Georges River.

While the body is yet to be formally identified, police believe it to be the missing boy.

In a statement, police said they were not treating the death as suspicious and that a report would be prepared for the coroner.

Among them was Eman Hazzouri and her 14-year-old son, Billy, who gathered by a gate at the back of an apartment complex on Epsom St on Friday morning.

Police had been seen searching the area behind the complex, which leads to the murky and muddy waters of the Georges River.

Ms Hazzouri said Essa, who had autism and was non-verbal, often played with her kids and took his pillow with him “everywhere”.

That same pillow was located near the river behind the unit complex.

“It’s every mother’s worst nightmare,” she said.

Ms Hazzouri said she had a bad feeling of his whereabouts when she first heard of his disappearance.

“I thought, straight away, the boy opened up this fence (and) rolled down the hill,” she said.

Ms Hazzouri said more needs to be done to protect kids from the water. Picture: NewsWire/ Gaye Gerard

A number of members of the local community came out to assist the police with their search.

Ms Hazzouri,who moved into the complex recently, said while the community came together, the incident raises questions about the safety of the height and stability of the fence and gate at the back of the unit.

“We have major concerns right now regarding this fence,” she said, saying the gate should be “lifted up or removed”.

Now she wants more to be done to prevent it from happening again.

“We all have kids in this complex,” she said.

“We lost a boy yesterday, and it can possibly happen again.

She said she doesn't feel safe with her kids being so young.

“It’s very traumatic; he’s a child, it could have been anyone.”

Ms Hazzouri said her children had trouble sleeping after the tragic development.

The community rallied together to try and locate the missing five-year-old boy. Picture: NewsWire/ Gaye Gerard

In a late-night online post, Liverpool City Mayor Ned Mannoun said: “Heaven has gained another Angel”.

“May his parents and family be granted strength,” he said.

Police and family said at the time they held serious concerns for Essa’s whereabouts as he lives with autism and is non-verbal.

He was last seen wearing a black and white skeleton onesie and no shoes.