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Body Of Maeve Kennedy Townsend McKean, Granddaughter Of Robert F. Kennedy, Found In Waters Off Chesapeake Bay

BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- Officials have located the body of Maeve Kennedy Townsend McKean, the daughter of Maryland's former lieutenant governor who went missing after paddling a canoe into the waters off the Chesapeake Bay last week.

Maryland Natural Resources Police said crews found her body around 5:30 p.m. Monday in about 25 feet of water around 2.5 miles away from her mother's home in Shady Side, Maryland, south of Annapolis.

Maeve Kennedy Townsend McKean and Gideon McKean
Maeve Kennedy Townsend McKean, 40, and her eight-year-old son Gideon. McKean is the granddaughter of Robert F. Kennedy. Photo credit: David McKean/Facebook

McKean, 40, was the daughter of former lieutenant governor Kathleen Kennedy Townsend and the granddaughter of Robert F. Kennedy. She and her eight-year-old son Gideon were last seen Thursday afternoon after paddling a canoe out into a cove off the bay to chase after a ball that had gone into the water.

Their canoe was found overturned miles away from where they were last seen.

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Crews will resume searching for Gideon's body on Tuesday.

Earlier in the day, more than 100 family members held a prayer service via video-calling app Zoom, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. posted on Instagram.

Sympathy cards also hung from a tree outside the McKeans' Washington, D.C. home, according to Kennedy.

"Our hearts are crushed, yet we shall try to summon the grace of God and what strength we have to honor the hope, energy and passion that Maeve and Gideon set forth into the world," McKean's mother said in a statement Friday night as crews continued to search for the pair. "My family thanks all for the outpouring of love and prayers as we grieve and try to bear this devastating loss."

An update: The body of Gideon McKean was recovered on Wednesday. 

This story is breaking; stay with WJZ for updates.

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