Community asks for justice for Chance Walsh

NORTH PORT, Fla.- A memorial outside of Chance Walsh’s North Port home is growing while family members and the community wait for answers to what exactly happened to the baby.

The Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office confirmed Thursday the body of an infant believed to be Chance was found in a remote, wooded area near English Circle and Elliot Court. Medical examiners are now working to find out exactly how Chance died.

Deputies began investigating around 9:45 p.m. on Wednesday after receiving a tip. The dense, wooded area is about 13 miles from Chance’s home and has no houses nearby.

“I can assure our community that this office has poured as many resources into finding Chance that we could during the last couple weeks,” said Knight.

The sheriff held back tears, saying “our hopes was to find him alive.”

Chance was last seen at his home on Sept. 9. His parents, Joseph Walsh, 36, and Kristen Bury, 32, are currently in a South Carolina jail, facing charges for child neglect.

The couple told police and family members multiple stories about where Chance was, including that he had died in a car crash. The sheriff says Bury and Walsh are the only two suspects in Chance’s death at this time.

The baby’s family released a statement to WINK News saying:

We would like to thank everyone. The sheriff’s department, the FBI and the people of North Port that work so hard to find baby Chance. The family is heartbroken.

Neighbors were also hoping authorities could find baby Chance alive, and were devastated to hear the news. A poster now sits outside Chance’s home, part of a growing makeshift memorial.

“I’m just grateful that they found baby Chance, and now there’s closure and his grandparents can give him a proper burial,” said Jeanine Largent.

Authorities have not confirmed when Walsh and Bury will be extradited back to Florida.

A memorial for Chance will be held Saturday, Oct. 17 from 7:30 p.m.- 8:30 p.m. at the Peace Christian Fellowship in North Port.