PUTNAM COUNTY, Fla. — The autistic 3-year-old police were searching for in Putnam County Tuesday afternoon has been found deceased, according to the Putnam County Sheriff's Office.
Police had asked the public to keep an eye out for 3-year-old Gabriel as they searched the area surrounding his home on Clearwater Road, including a nearby canal.
PCSO says Gabriel went missing around 3:30 p.m. His family searched for him for about 20 minutes before they alerted police.
K-9 units were involved in the search. Marine units were also searching the canal. He was found by a dive team in the water, close to a dock.
The official cause of death cannot be determined until an autopsy is performed.
PCSO does not suspect any suspicious or foul play.
“At this time we ask for you to say a prayer for the family,” Sheriff HD ‘ Gator’ DeLoach said. "No family should undergo the tragedy of losing their child and we ask for comfort from our community to support them as they navigate the difficult journey ahead.”
