Heartache as search for ‘bright’ teen, 14, stood down after body discovery following major search
Gardai have provided no further information about the situation
GARDAI have sadly stood down the search for a “bright” teen, 14, following the discovery of a body in Co Meath.
Benjamin Spot was last seen cycling from the Market Square towards Kentstown Road or the Ramparts area of Navan on November 19 at around 5.55pm.
Benjamin’s bike was found in the Ramparts the following day.
The fourteen-year-old was described as being approximately 5 foot 1 inches in height, with blonde hair and blue eyes.
Both Gardai and Benjamin’s family said they were “concerned for his well-being.”
In an update today, cops confirmed that they located the body of the fourteen-year-old earlier today in Co Meath – more than three weeks after he was last seen alive.
The search appeal for him has now been stood down.
A garda spokesperson said: “Following the discovery of a body in Co. Meath earlier today, the appeal in respect of 14-year-old Benjamin Spot who was reported missing in Navan, Co. Meath on Wednesday, 19th November 2025, has been stood down.
“An Garda Siochana would like to thank the media for their assistance.”
Meath River Rescue confirmed that while its members were out searching for the missing teen today, they received notification that the operation was being stood down.
A spokesperson said: “While out searching today for missing 14yr old Benjamin Spot our Drone and bank search teams received a call from An Garda Siochana to stand down the search following the discovery of a body.
“Our deepest condolences to Benjamin’s family and friends. May he Rest in Peace.”
Gardai, Meath River Rescue and the Civil Defence Force had been scouring the River Boyne and the surrounding area in the search without success for weeks.
A cop helicopter was called in to assist in the search and drones, boats and dog units combed the area on Sunday, December 1.
MAJOR SEARCH
The Meath Civil Defence Force said at the time: “Our search for missing teenager Benjamin Spot has concluded without success.
“We had two boat teams involved, one with sonar equipment and one with our search dog. Thank you to everyone who volunteered.”
Mum Retna Molnarova rushed to Ireland from her home in Slovakia to support the searches.
She told The Irish Times: “My son is a bright boy, he is really smart and he has good friends. We all love Benjamin and we just want him back.”
This year, Meath River Rescue, which was established in 1996, recovered the remains of five people in the county and in Cavan and has helped out on numerous other searches elsewhere in the country.
Meanwhile, a separate search conducted by Meath Civil Defence Force over the space of three weeks concluded last month with the recovery of the remains of Jordan Newman.
And Meath Civil Defence Force chairperson Christopher Rennicks said that large items dumped in the river are slowing searches and jeopardising the safety of volunteers.
When conditions are too dangerous for diving, the group conducts boat searches and uses ‘drags’ along the riverbed in order to try and find the remains of missing people.
The drags are typically hooked devices or weighted lines pulled along the riverbed to snag clothes, but unfortunately, catch other items as well.
Rennicks said: “In the searches for Jordan and Benjamin alone, we pulled out about 20 shopping trolleys along a 2km stretch of the Boyne from Navan to Athlumney.
SAFETY THREAT
“We have also discovered many bikes, wheelbarrows and other items which have been thrown in over the years.
“When the drag snags on something, we have to investigate what it is, pull it out of the water and then bring it onto the shore to ensure no one throws it back in again.
“This all takes time and especially on winter days when we don’t have a lot of daylight hours, these things can hinder and slow the search down.”
Rennicks said that on a past search for a missing person in Navan, they found a sizeable cage which posed a safety threat to divers.
He said: “Divers could get caught up in this stuff, so we have to assess all this and decide if it is safe to dive. We all have families to go home to as well.
“A lot of this stuff has been on the riverbed for years, but I’d just like to appeal to people to think before dumping anything in the river – one day, you might need us to help search for a loved one.
