A nine-year-old autistic boy was found dead in the waters near the IKEA Red Hook store in Brooklyn, New York.
The boy, who was non-verbal, had been shopping with his parents at the Swedish furniture store on Wednesday, August 16, when he wandered off before 10 pm and subsequently went missing.
Law enforcement officials immediately launched a search operation, deploying drones, K9 units, and boats to locate the missing child.
The boy’s identity has not been disclosed.
Surveillance footage showed him exiting from the back of the store, heading in the direction of the boardwalk and pier by the Erie Basin.
The search intensified when investigators found the boy’s Crocs floating in the Red Hook channel. A few hours later, around 12:15 am on Thursday, August 17, divers located his body in the water near 1 Beard Street.
He was transported to Brooklyn Methodist Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. It is believed the boy drowned, and no foul play is suspected at this time.
Witnesses at the scene expressed their deep sorrow over the incident. “I have kids and grandkids of my own. It’s heartbreaking,” one remarked.
A nearby worker recounted the frantic efforts to find the boy, mentioning that firefighters and police were present, requesting camera footage from local businesses.