Tragedy: Missing toddler Mikaeel Kular found dead. His mother arrested and charged.

A community in mourning.

A nation in shock and a mother under arrest after her three-year old son was found dead.

Just five days ago on Thursday morning three-year old Mikaeel Kular’s mother said she went to wake up her youngest son.

She had last seen him around 9pm when he went to bed in their Edinburgh home.

Rosdeep Kular said that her son had been home sick for the last few weeks with a chest infection so she had let him sleep in his room alone that night– usually he would share it with his twin sister.

The next morning at 7.15 she went to wake him up and he was missing.

The local community went into overdrive searching for the little boy who they believed had wandered off into the night in his blue jogging bottoms, grey pyjama top with the turquoise dinosaur and his little beige jacket.

Initially police said Mikaeel might have left the flat by himself, but neighbours expressed doubts that a child of three would have been capable of opening the heavy main door to the apartment block.

Hundreds took part in search parties. They combed the local area – mothers, fathers, local business owners, the coastguard and mountain rescue teams –all desperately searching for a sign of the little boy.

A nationwide missing child alert was sent to the entire police force, normally only used in abduction cases. Police urged people to look in their sheds, their garages, wheelie bins, anywhere a missing boy could seek shelter.

His mother – and his four brothers and sisters were said to be distraught, and police put out a statement saying there was no evidence of criminality linked to his disappearance.

All anyone wanted was to find him.

Neighbours came forward to speak of the family saying they were loving and well behaved. One woman told the Daily Mail that Rosdeep Kular, Mikaeel’s mum was a great mother who doted on her children.

Online forums debated the actions of Rosdeep, with many questioning whether she ‘should’ have checked on her son throughout the night. In usual mother-to-mother debate the internet surged with cross firing condemnation – and support – on her veracity and her actions.

Then came a ‘sighting’ – with news on Friday that a young boy had been seen walking towards the coastline early in the morning.

It was news that the community feared.

Police said they were gravely concerned.

Their concerns turned out to be justified. But not in relation to the coastal sighting.

Early on Saturday morning Assistant Chief Constable Malcolm Graham of Police Scotland told a press conference that a body had been found at a property, 20 miles from Mikaeel’s home in north Edinburgh.

He said that no further searches of streets around the boy’s home would take place.

“The investigation into the disappearance of Mikaeel Kular has been wide-ranging and fast-moving.

“As a result of inquiries, the body of a young child was recovered in Fife just before midnight. We strongly believe this to be the body of Mikaeel.

“A person has been detained in connection with the recovery of the body and members of Mikaeel’s family have been informed of the recovery.”

To the shock and surprise of the local community the person detained turned out to be Mikaeel’s mother, Rosdeep.

It turns out that Mikaeel had not been seen at his nursery at, the ‘Flora Stevenson primary school’ since the start of the Christmas holidays. His mother said her son had been ill.

His body was found in the woods behind his Aunt’s house – where he had lived eighteen months ago with his family. An area described as being tranquil, a suburb of well-maintained gardens with conservatories, patios, trampolines and children’s playthings.

Mikaeel’s father, who is understood to now live elsewhere, has been questioned voluntarily by police.

The community reaction was one of despair. Betrayal. Anger.

A memorial service held near his home attracted over 600 mourners all in disbelief.

The mother will now appear in Edinburgh Sheriff court – on Monday morning local Scottish time. Because of Scottish Law, the exact nature of the charge will not be known until she makes her first appearance.

We will keep you updated.