The U.S. Coast Guard has suspended the search for a 6-year-old boy who apparently drowned in the Housatonic River in Stratford.

Authorities are now asking boaters and fishermen to be on the lookout for the child, who fell into the water at the Birdseye Boat Ramp on Wednesday afternoon.

"For our local fishermen, local boaters on the water, if you see something, please call it in," said Stratford Fire Chief Jermaine Atkinson.

"Along with the Coast Guard, we look at the computer modeling of what the water is, what the weather conditions are," Atkinson said. "We've put boats in the water. We worked with the United States Coast Guard. We've had helicopters. We've had boats come from Coast Guard stations in Boston and Cape Cod."

Police said that the unidentified boy, who is from Stratford, fell off the pier at Birdseye Landing around 1:30 p.m. on Wednesday – right in front of his mother. A United Illuminating worker tried to rescue him but was unsuccessful.

"I asked a few people what was going on," said Jeff Babey, of Bridgeport. "They said there was a mother sitting on the floating dock with her son that was 6 years old...he was possibly swimming... and the undertow took him under."

Heartbroken witness who gathered to watch the search say they just hope the child's parents can get closure quickly.

"I do hope they find him because that's – nobody wants to lose a child," said Idrissa Jones, of Bridgeport. "That's a very bad, bad feeling."

Stratford Mayor Laura said that the town is providing social workers for victim's family.