ORMOND BEACH, Fla. — A nine-hour search for a missing child on Sunday ended in tragedy after he was discovered deceased overnight.
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Dive teams recovered the body of 4-year-old Waylon Childs around 9 p.m.
Waylon’s body was recovered at Central Park near Fleming Avenue in Ormond Beach.
The child was at the park with his father and two other siblings.
Police said Waylon ran off and became lost around noon, which prompted a large search for him.
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After a desperate search, Waylon’s body was recovered from a nearby body of water.
Multiple law enforcement agencies from across Volusia County and the state joined the search on the ground and from the air.
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According to police, Waylon was autistic and nonverbal.
“We don’t expect any foul play, no signs of abduction or anything like that; it’s just an unfortunate day and a tragic case,” a police spokesperson said.
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