Body of 5-year-old found after he was abducted from his Albany-area home

NEW YORK -- The initial story that Kenneth White, 5, was abducted by two men wearing ski masks, prompting an Amber Alert, has been discounted, authorities said.

The boy's body was found by a K-9 unit near the Berne, N.Y., trailer home where he was reported abducted Thursday. The death is being investigated as a homicide.

No suspects are in custody, but there is a "person of interest" being questioned. An Amber Alert for the young boy was canceled around midnight.

Albany County Sheriff Craig Apple said he does not believe other family members are in danger.

Initially, Apple said Kenneth was being watched by the 19-year-old daughter of his legal guardians when two men entered the house, pinned the woman to the floor and took the child at about 1:30 p.m. Thursday. Since that theory was discounted, it is unclear what police think happened.

"It's a horrific act and we hope to have more details in the next few hours," said Apple. He added that people "can feel comfort in the fact that A) we have recovered this body and B) there are no masked men running around the Hilltowns of Albany County."

Apple said the caretaker and two other small children were unharmed. A motive isn't clear, but it may involve a custody dispute, Apple said.

He said Kenneth's mother lives elsewhere in New York; his father in Massachusetts.

Anyone with any information is asked to call the Albany County Sheriff's Office at (866) NYS-AMBER or dial 911 to provide information on a report or sighting.

(Some information from the Associated Press)