The search for a missing six-year-old non-verbal autistic boy from Washington DC ended in tragedy after his body was found in a pond.
Fawzan Hassan was last seen around 3 p.m. Saturday near the playground at Bohrer Park in Gaithersburg, Maryland, the same day members of the Ethiopian community hosted a picnic. His family was among those in attendance.
Montgomery County police announced at a news conference Sunday night that the body was discovered in the pond around 5:30 p.m. by a group of volunteers.
Police and fire departments and the Maryland National Police searched overnight for the missing teen. Drones had been used, but because there were snapping turtles in the pond, divers were not deployed, authorities said.
Montgomery police said the pond had been searched twice, but at that time the boy’s body had not been found, according to a news release.
The body of 6-year-old Fawzan Hassan, who is nonverbal and autistic, was found in a pond at Bohrer Park in Gaithersburg, Maryland.
Montgomery police announced at a news conference Sunday night that the body was discovered in the pond around 5:30 p.m. by a group of volunteers.
Residents in the area were urged to check around their property, including under porches and decks, swimming pools, outbuildings, unlocked cars and nearby playgrounds.
They were also asked to review all home surveillance videos.
The boy’s distraught mother told the outlet that the boy’s grandmother was babysitting Hassan at the park during an event organized by the Ethiopian community. She said Hassan’s grandmother went to look for her sister and when she returned, Hassan was gone.
Azeb Adere of the Ethiopian Eritrean Special Needs Community, which helped organize the search, called the tragedy “a sad day for the community.”
She said there are many questions about why Hassan was not found sooner and she was heartbroken for the family, but told the outlet they will have to wait.
“I feel so sorry for the parents,” Adere said. “I feel terrible and I want the communities to learn from this so that it doesn’t happen to another child again.”
Police and fire departments and the Maryland National Police searched overnight for the missing teen. Drones had been used, but because there were snapping turtles in the pond, divers were not deployed, authorities said.
The playground pictured in Bohrer Park
Montgomery County Police Lt. Kristina Hedgepeth said with certainty that the search for Hassan was exhaustive, NBC4 local Washington reported.
“We don’t know what’s underneath and how it might affect our instruments and signal readings and things like that,” he said. “I think that’s a big part of what played into it, it’s not like anyone forgot anything. Everything was reviewed very thoroughly.”
Hedgepeth, who is also a mother, urged other parents to stress the importance of staying alert.
“It’s a hard thing to say to someone who’s in this situation, but I know that as a parent, you have to be on your toes,” Hedgepeth told the outlet.
“You have to be constantly vigilant and it’s even harder when you have a child with special needs.”
Before Hassan’s body was found, officials urged those helping with the search on how to approach a nonverbal autistic child, including “using visual cues or familiar objects to get their attention.”
Police cordoned off the area where the boy’s body was found.
Several police units and firefighters went looking for Hassan, who disappeared on Saturday.
“Please call 911 immediately. It is important to approach them calmly and slowly. Avoid making sudden movements or loud noises that may scare them,” according to a news release.
‘Speak in a soft, reassuring tone, even if the child does not respond verbally. Nonverbal autistic children may not respond to their name. The most important thing is to ensure the child’s safety and wait for the police to arrive.’
Authorities said foul play is not suspected in the teen’s death. An autopsy will be performed to determine the cause of death.