The body of a missing 4-year-old boy has been found, and his parents have been arrested in his death.

Ethan Stacy's body was found Tuesday, buried next to a trail near the Powder Mountain ski resort. Ethan's stepfather, Nathan Sloop, was arrested on suspicion of homicide. Nathan Sloop and Ethan's mother, Stephanie Sloop, both were arrested on suspicion of child abuse, obstruction of justice and desecration of a corpse, Layton police said.

Investigators would not say how they think Ethan died or how his body was desecrated.

Ethan, who lived in Virginia, arrived in Layton about two weeks ago to spend the summer with the Sloops, said Layton police Lt. Garret Atkin.

Stephanie and Nathan Sloop married May 1, he said.

Late Monday night, Stephanie Sloop called police to report Ethan was missing, Atkin said. She claimed she had put Ethan to bed about 9 p.m., but he was gone when she checked on him later. She also said he had wandered off several times before but always returned.

Throughout the night and Tuesday morning, police searched the area surrounding the Sloops' apartment complex, near 500 West and 1400 North in Layton, questioning a dozen registered sex offenders in the area, sweeping neighboring apartments and interviewing "persons of interest," Atkin said.

During those interviews, police learned of the "burial site" near Powder Mountain, Atkin said.

Crews searched near the Wolf Canyon trailhead on State Road 158 in Weber County. Canopies were erected over two separate sites less than a quarter mile up the trail.

Investigators could be seen carrying shovels to and from the scene, where muddy conditions complicated the search, Atkin said.

The body of a boy matching Ethan's description was found at 5 p.m. Atkins said he would not "go into the gory details" as to the body's condition.

Investigators do not know how long the body had been buried.

It is not clear whether the boy was killed at the trail or if his body was brought there from another place, Atkin said.

Police would not say who pointed investigators to Wolf Canyon or whether the Sloops confessed outright to killing Ethan. Atkin said only that "their stories changed during the process."

"They were trying to cover their tracks," he said.

Police do not yet know whether Ethan actually had a history of wandering away from home.

His biological father has been contacted, Atkin said. Police would not release the father's name, and Atkin said he did not know the city in Virginia where Ethan lived.

Police are investigating no other potential suspects, Atkin said.

Nathan Sloop has a history of drug convictions and other crimes dating back to 2000. Most recently, he pleaded guilty to misdemeanor possession of a controlled substance in 2003.

Stephanie Sloop has no criminal history in Utah under her married name; Atkin said he did not know her maiden name or previous married names.