CARLSBAD, N.M. (AP) — Crews are trying to reach a child’s body, believed to be that of a missing 4-year boy, discovered wedged into a deep and narrow hole in the backyard of a southern New Mexico home.

Carlsbad police said Sunday that they are fairly sure it’s the body of Samuel Jones, who was reported missing from his home next door Saturday.

An Amber Alert that had been in effect for him was cancelled Sunday night.

“We have reports of one missing child, and this child is right next door to the missing child’s house,” Carlsbad police spokeswoman Lt. Jennifer Moyers said, while adding that authorities cannot be positive the body is Samuel’s until the body is retrieved.

Recovery efforts began Sunday afternoon, with a large tracked excavator on scene along with metal shoring typically used in pipeline construction projects.

A specialised search and rescue team from Roswell was headed to Carlsbad at midday to oversee the operations. State police said the recovery could take a day.

“It’s a little tricky in that you have to start to dig kind of away from the hole and dig at a slant until you get down deep enough to go laterally,” Moyers said. “They’re going to have to put in retaining so that the dirt doesn’t cave in on what they’ve dug out.”