The victims were reported missing at around 8pm on Monday, police said.
An adult and a preschool-aged child who had been reported missing in the southern coastal town of Ekenäs were found dead in waters at an outdoor recreation area on Monday evening.
According to the Western Uusimaa Police Department, rescue services received a call about the victims having gone missing at around 8pm on Monday.
The call came from Björkkärrsvägen, according to rescue services’ information that evening.
Cooperating with a number of other authorities, police launched an extensive search of the surrounding area.
The bodies of the adult and child were both found in inland waters of the Västerby Outdoor Recreation Area, located around five kilometres from Ekenäs. The recreation area is approximately 1,500 hectares in size and features varied terrain and hiking trails.
“The victims were a parent and their child. They were reported missing by relatives,” Detective Inspector Mats Sjöholm said, according to Svenska Yle, the public broadcaster’s Swedish-language unit.
The case is being handled as a cause of death investigation.
“A cause of death investigation is non-public according to the law, and therefore the police will not provide more information,” Sjöholm said.
The outdoor recreation area has several water areas and a swimming beach. The police have not specified exactly where the victims’ bodies were found.
Edited at 11:30am on 9 June 2026 to add detail that the victims were a parent and their child, as well as details about the recreation area.
