ROCK ISLAND, Illinois-- The cousin of the little boy who fell in the Mississippi Tuesday described him as a spunky, happy little monster.
Renee Allcock said her family is trying to stay positive as the search continues for the 2-year-old boy.
"For our sake and for everyone, to not get negative and be angry and bitter and just going the wrong way about it," she said. "We just need to stay positive and supportive for each other."
Family members were keeping watch at Schwiebert Park as crews scanned the water for any sign of the boy.
"We just keep reminding ourselves we're going to find him, going to have him, give him the best resting place we can," Allcock said.
Assistant Chief Bob Graff with the Rock Island Fire Department said the family was out on the dock as Schwiebert Park Tuesday night when the boy fell in. Allcock said he loved to be around the water and play on the rocks.
Rescue crews from the Arsenal, Davenport Fire, Rock Island Fire and the conservation police have been using sonar to look for the boy.
"The sonar's shooting off both sides of the boat," Graff said. "So they'll kind of do a back and forth pattern going down the river, identifying, getting things from different angles."
He said once the boats find anything, the divers will go in.
Rescue teams were facing challenging circumstances today, with heat, humidity and strong currents.
The search was called off before 6 p.m. today. The Rock Island Fire Department said it will resume Thursday.
"It's very supportive," Allcock said. "A lot of people are caring. We all feel alone and it shouldn't be happening. And why us? But there are so many people here to let us know that we're not alone."
