Crews recover body of missing 4-year-old boy with autism at park in Ormond Beach

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.

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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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