More Deta

DETROIT -- A body discovered in the River Raisin Thursday is believed to be that of a missing 5-year-old Monroe girl.

Nevaeh Buchanan was last seen May 24 in the parking lot of an apartment complex about 35 miles south-southwest of Detroit.

Her mother, Jennifer Buchanan, told Local 4 that the Monroe County Sheriff's Department informed her late Thursday evening that they believe the body is her daughter.

Ryan Bickley, 15, told Local 4 that his father, Guy Bickley, and grandfather, Lowell Kirk, were fishing on the river near Ida Maybee Road and spotted a block of poured cement and noticed a bad smell.

At first they said they didn't think much about it. After about 2 hours, Bickley said he kicked the concrete and noticed something.

Bickley said he chipped away a piece of the cement, revealing what appeared to be human skin.

"He called me, and he was hysterical," Ryan Bickley said. "He saw flies around it and that it was starting to crack, and when he bent down the smell got really bad."

Bickley said his father quickly backed away and called police.

The discovery site is about 12 miles from the Charlotte Arms Apartment, where her mother said she was outside playing with a friend when she disappeared.

The sheriff's office will hold a 10:30 a.m. press conference Friday to reveal more details.

The community held a vigil on Thursday.

"I'm not giving up yet. I'm not giving up unless I see the body myself. I am not giving up hope yet because I still feel that she is near me," said Nevaeh's grandmother, Sherry Buchanan.

A local pastor held a small memorial service for Nevaeh bringing the crowd to prayers.

"We know Nevaeh is in heaven now. Nevaeh is in heaven with Jesus right now. Beyond a shadow of a doubt. We know there is no pain right now, no sorrow, only joy."

Friends of Nevaeh also spoke tearfully.

"My son is a total tragic mess because of this. He has missed her every single day she has been gone and now he is going to miss her for the rest of his life."

"It could happen to anybody and we hope it don't happen to anybody else," said Nevaeh's cousin, Shawn Lawson.

There have been no arrests in the case.

[Community Reacts To Body Found]