An autistic New York boy who disappeared on Christmas Eve has been found dead in a pond in South Carolina, the Daily News reported on Friday.
Jayden Morrison, 4, was found dead on Friday morning, according to the Horry County coroner. Jayden, who was nonverbal, vanished from his grandmother's home in South Carolina after visiting from New York for the holidays, the Journal News reported.
The mother had gone shopping for his gifts when the child went missing during a brief period of being unsupervised.
"After a telephone call ... I couldn't find Jayden," said Jayden's grandmother, Carolyn Sumpter.
She said she saw the front door ajar when she had been looking after the boy and his siblings. He likely stepped out after watching cartoons in the living room.
Realizing he was missing, Sumpter called 911 and alerted the neighbors to what was going on.
Horry County authorities said there was no evidence of abduction. Before the grisly discovery, dive crews looked through retention ponds while his parents held out hope.
His body floated to the surface as the pond's water levels were lowered. The pond was located about 10 houses down from the grandmother's home.
More than 100 volunteers helped search for the boy. Due to the boy's autism, he might not have responded when his name was called.
