A 5-year-old who disappeared on Christmas was found dead one day later. According to Michigan State Police, 5-year-old Beau Brennan Belson had autism.
Belson was last seen on Christmas Day while playing with other family members in the front yard of his home around 2:30 p.m. According to ABC News, his family searched for him on their own before calling Michigan State Police for help.
Michigan Boy With Autism Found in Pond the Day After Christmas
It was hours later before the boy’s body was discovered in a nearby pond on December 26.
Michigan State Police First Lieutenant Kevin Sweeney said in a statement to the Associated Press, “Unfortunately, he was found in a pond, and he’s no longer with us. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the family.”
It’s unclear how the boy died or how he wandered off without anyone seeing him. However, no foul play is expected.
Nonetheless, an investigation into Belson’s unexpected passing is still ongoing. Another Michigan State Police Lieutenant David Cope told People that the “belief is he wandered away from the house but nobody knows which direction he left from his yard.”
At the time Belson’s went missing, he was wearing “grey colored footie pajamas with green dinosaur prints, a blue jacket and black boots.” Nearly 1,000 volunteers came out to look for the boy that Christmas night.
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According to WILX, a helicopter with infrared detection was used to scan the nearby woods and drones, as well as, marine services with sonar detection were deployed to search nearby bodies of water.
State police announced the end of their search via a press release which was shared on Twitter. Belson’s body was recovered around noon.
His family has not yet made a public statement regarding his unexpected passing.