Boy, 8, found dead in pond near his family's North Carolina home: 'We brought closure'

Authorities in North Carolina have recovered the body of a missing autistic and non-verbal 8-year-old boy who officials said disappeared from his home this week.

The Wilkes County Sheriff’s Office told USA TODAY Zachariah William Walker of Ronda was found dead in a small pond near his home just before noon Wednesday.

The small town is about 45 miles northwest of Winston-Salem.

The boy was reported missing by family on Tuesday, according to the sheriff's office.

More than three dozen local and state agencies, community volunteers and friends and family searched for the boy for more than a 16 hour period after Zachariah disappeared, according to a sheriff's office press release.

Reavis said between 100 to 150 personnel across dozens of agencies participated in the search for Zach.

“We want them to know and to feel like we were here in a positive way, to support and come to a positive outcome, and even though we did not, we want to know that we brought closure and that they're in our thoughts and our prayers, and we want to support them to the best of our ability,” Wilkes County Emergency Medical Services Director Jason Reavis told WXII-TV.

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Coroner to determine how Zachariah William Walker officially died

Foul play is not suspected in the missing person case, but sheriff's office Major Logan Kerr said the case remained under investigation on Friday.

A coroner will determine the boy's official cause and manner of death.

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Dangers of 'elopement'

According to the National Autism Association, many non-verbal children frequently disappear in what's called "elopement" − the tendency for someone to try to leave the safety of a responsible person's care or a safe area.

Research shows some people with autism elope because they are overwhelmed with sensory stimulation of something too loud or too bright, but the most common trigger of elopement is wanting to get closer to an object, drawing their curiosity.

A review by the association discovered more than 800 elopement cases from 2011 and 2016 with nearly a third being fatal or where the child required medical attention, while another 38% involved a close call with water, traffic, or another life-threatening situation.

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Recently reported child elopement cases

A recent reported case took place Aug. 6 in Boise, Idaho, where police recovered the body of a missing autistic 5-year-old boy who disappeared from his birthday party earlier in the week.

The Boise Police Department reported Matthew Glynn's body was found on Aug. 7 in a canal about a half-mile from where the boy was last seen at home.

That same day, about 2,000 miles southeast on Florida's Atlantic coast, a 5-year-old boy with autism also disappeared from his home.

Not long after the boy went missing, a Volusia County Sheriff's Office deputy located the boy in a nearby pond holding onto a log. Body camera footage shows the deputy jumping into the pond and carrying the boy to safety.

Contributing: Ahjané Forbes

Natalie Neysa Alund is a senior reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at [email protected] and follow her on X @nataliealund.