Missing autistic boy found dead in pond near Jacksonville

JACKSONVILLE — An autistic 5-year-old boy was found dead in a Florida pond shortly after he was reported missing over the weekend, officials said.

Investigators believe Mohamad Nour unlocked the front door and walked outside his home in Jacksonville early Sunday, news outlets reported.

Police were called at 8:48 a.m., and as many as 32 officers from the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office and 48 from the Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department began looking for the boy, news outlets reported. They also used a drone, K9s and a helicopter in the search.

Crews in a boat found the boy in the pond just before 11 a.m. Sunday.

“There’s a lot of ponds around here,” JSO Assistant Chief Brian Kee told FirstCoast News. “We know from our training these children are often attracted to bodies of water, which is very concerning for us.”