A 2-year-old Florida boy who was discovered missing after his mother was found dead in her apartment was found dead Friday, and his father was charged with murder, St. Petersburg police said.

Taylen Mosley’s body was seen in the mouth of an alligator and a detective shot and killed the animal, Police Chief Anthony Holloway said.

«We didn’t want to find it this way, but at least we can give that family some closure now,» Holloway said at a news conference.

Taylen had been missing since Thursday, when her mother, 20-year-old Pashun Jeffery, was found dead in her apartment, police said.

taylen mosleySt. Petersburg Police Department via Facebook

She had been stabbed multiple times, Holloway said Friday.

The boy’s father, Thomas Mosley, is charged with two counts of first-degree murder, the police chief said.

The boy was found near Dell Holmes Park, which is near Lake Maggiore, about 10 miles from his mother’s apartment, Holloway said.

Family members saw Jeffery and her son on Wednesday, and on Thursday they asked the apartment manager to check when they couldn’t reach her, police said.

The child’s cause of death will be determined by the medical examiner, Holloway said.

Thomas Mosley was admitted to a hospital with cuts on his arms and hands, Holloway said, and remained hospitalized Friday. He did not speak to detectives and requested a lawyer, according to the police chief.

Online case information did not appear to be available as of Friday night and it was unclear if Mosley had an attorney who could speak on his behalf.

The search for the boy included dogs, a drone and federal and state law enforcement agencies. An Amber Alert had also been issued for him.