Heartbreaking discovery made in pond during hunt for missing, non-verbal autistic DC boy aged six

The hunt for a missing six-year-old non-verbal autistic boy from Washington DC has ended successful calamity aft his assemblage was recovered successful a pond.

Fawzan Hassan was past seen astir 3pm connected Saturday adjacent nan playground astatine Bohrer Park located successful Gaithersburg, Maryland connected nan aforesaid time a picnic arena was held by members of nan Ethiopian community. His family were among those successful attendance.  

Montgomery County Police announced astatine a news convention connected Sunday evening, that nan assemblage was discovered successful nan pond astir 5.30pm by a group of volunteers.

Police and occurrence departments and nan Maryland National Capital Police searched overnight for nan missing youngster. Drones had been utilized but owed to snapping turtles successful nan pond divers were not deployed, officials said.

The Montgomery Police said nan pond had been searched doubly but astatine nan clip nan boy's assemblage did not surface, arsenic per a news release. 

Residents successful nan area were urged to cheque astir their property, including nether porches and decks, swimming pools, outbuildings, unlocked cars, and adjacent playgrounds.

They were besides asked to reappraisal immoderate location surveillance videos. 

The boy's distraught mother told nan news outlet that nan boy's grandma was watching Hassan astatine nan parkland during an arena held by nan Ethiopian community. She said Hassan' grandma went to look for his sister and erstwhile she returned Hassan was gone. 

Azeb Adere pinch nan Ethiopian Eritrean Special Needs Community, who helped shape nan search, called nan calamity 'a sad time for nan community.' 

She said location are galore questions to why Hassan was not  recovered sooner and was heartbroken for nan family but told nan news outlet that will person to wait. 

'I americium truthful sorry for nan parents,' Adere said. 'I feel truthful bad and for communities to study this truthful it doesn't hap to different child.'

Montgomery County Police Lieutenant Kristina Hedgepeth explained pinch certainty that nan hunt for Hassan was thorough, local NBC4 Washington reported. 

'What's underneath, we don't cognize and really it tin impact our instruments and reference signals and things for illustration that,' she said. So I deliberation that's what a batch of it had to do with, not that anyone missed a spot. Everything was gone complete very thoroughly.' 

A genitor herself, Hedgepeth urged different parents nan value of staying vigilant. 

'It's a reliable point to opportunity to anyone successful this situation, but I conscionable cognize arsenic a genitor myself, your head's gotta beryllium connected a swivel,' Hedgepeth told nan news outlet. 

'You person to perpetually beryllium watching and it's moreover harder erstwhile you person a kid pinch typical needs.'

Before Hassan's assemblage was found, officials urged those helping successful nan hunt connected really to attack a non-verbal autistic kid which includes' utilizing ocular signals aliases acquainted objects to get their attention.'

'Please telephone 911 correct away. It is important to attack them calmly and slowly. Avoid making abrupt movements aliases large noises that mightiness startle them,' arsenic per a news release.

'Speak successful a gentle, reassuring tone, moreover if nan kid does not respond verbally. Non-verbal autistic children mightiness not respond to their name. Most importantly, guarantee nan child’s information and hold for constabulary to arrive.'

Officials said nary foul play has been suspected successful nan youngster's death. An autopsy will beryllium performed to find nan origin of death.