Body Found Is Jennifer Hudson's Nephew 10/27/08

The F.B.I. in Chicago, Illinois has confirmed the young boy found dead in the city on Monday (27Oct08) was Jennifer Hudson's seven-year-old nephew Justin King. The actress reportedly identified the body on Monday afternoon.

Justin, the son of Hudson's sister Julia, went missing from the family's home in the city on Friday (24Oct08) following the murder of Hudson's mother Darnell Donnerson and her brother Jason Hudson.

The Dreamgirls star offered a $100,000 (£64,100) cash reward for the youngster's safe return and authorities issued an Amber Alert in the search for the missing boy, launching a statewide campaign to find him. The alert was called off on Monday after the body of a young African-American child was discovered inside a 1994 white Chevy Suburban car in west Chicago - owned by Jason Hudson.

Hudson's personal assistant, identified only as Jay, called Fox News shortly after the discovery of the body and told reporters, "She is so distraught she cannot talk."

Police are currently busy investigating forensic evidence and establishing a timeline of events. The vehicle is said to have been reported missing on Friday (24Oct08) and neighbors in the area where it was found reportedly told police it had been parked there since Saturday.

The gruesome find was just a few miles from where Julia's estranged husband, William Balfour, was arrested by police on Friday, according to TMZ.com.

He is currently being quizzed by cops over the slayings, and authorities have described him as "a person of interest".