A knife was found a few yards from the body of 10-year-old Barway Collins, which was pulled April 11 from the Mississippi River in Brooklyn Center, a search warrant filed last week reveals.

The silver knife with a patterned handle was found 5 to 15 yards from Barway's body, according to the document, which offers a window into the investigation into the Crystal fourth-grader's death.

Barway had been missing for three weeks before his duct-tape-bound remains were found by volunteer Boy Scout searchers. His father, Pierre Collins, 33, has been charged with second-degree murder and remains in the Hennepin County jail with bail set at $2 million.

Two days after Barway's body was found, authorities searched his family's apartment in Crystal looking for knives similar to the one found at the river and pieces of duct tape, among other items.

During that search, authorities obtained six knives, at least three with silver blades; two plastic air-conditioner covers with duct tape on them, and a red towel with "plant material on it," among other items, according to the search warrant.

Authorities also took Collins' passport and several of his mail documents.

The charges against Collins focus heavily on cellphone signals that provide a detailed account of his whereabouts on the day Barway disappeared. According to the search warrant, other electronic devices also were taken by authorities.

The morning Barway was reported missing, phone records show that his father was near the spot where the body was later found, the criminal complaint says. In the hours after Barway was last seen jumping out of his school van to head for his apartment building, Collins was traced back to that same location, charges say. He had no reason to be there, nor had he visited that area for 30 days before his son disappeared, authorities say.

For about an hour late that afternoon, Collins' phone was turned off. When it was turned back on, he called Yamah, his wife and Barway's stepmother, who told him that the boy had not arrived home from school.

Collins' next court date will be May 14.

Authorities have said they hope to present evidence to a grand jury for possible first-degree murder charges.

Barway's funeral will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday at Shiloh Temple in north Minneapolis, Pastor Harding Smith, the family's spokesman, said Tuesday.

Karen Zamora • 612-673-4647

Twitter: @KarenAnelZamora