A 6-year-old boy who went missing Saturday evening was found dead in a nearby pond after a lengthy weekend search, Clayton County police said.
Police responded around 7:45 p.m. to the 6000 block of Riverdale Road after John Ross III was reported missing. He had a developmental disability and was nonverbal, officials said in news releases.
The search continued Sunday with several nearby jurisdictions joining the effort, police said, including the Clayton and Fayette sheriff’s offices, Forest Park police, Georgia Piedmont Search and Rescue, and the Butts County Fire Department dive team, officials said.
He was found dead in a pond Sunday, near his last known location, police said.
The case echoes an similar missing child incident earlier this summer in Clayton County. Experts warn that some children are prone to wandering away, and they are drawn to water, which can lead to tragedy.
“There are no words that can adequately express the heartbreak of losing a child. The Clayton County Police Department extends its deepest condolences to the Ross family and all of John’s loved ones during this unimaginable time,” the department.
His family has been notified, officials said. Family members did not respond to messages from The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
Detectives are investigating the circumstances around his death, police said.
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