5-Year-Old Florida Boy Found Dead in Pond After He Vanished from Home

A nonverbal 5-year-old boy with autism was found dead in a pond over the weekend just one day after he vanished from his Florida home, authorities said.

On Saturday, July 26, Jaylen Saintelien’s family was unpacking after they moved into their new home in Naples when they realized he had gone missing at approximately 3:15 p.m. local time, the Collier County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement. 

Jaylen’s mother was folding clothes inside a bedroom while Jaylen was sitting on a barstool eating pizza at the kitchen counter, according to an incident report, which was reviewed by PEOPLE.

His mom had checked in and saw him at the counter, but when she looked again a “short time later,” she didn’t see him, the report states.

Unable to find Jaylen in the apartment, the little boy’s mother asked her brother and fiancé for help.

After doing a quick search of the home and area, the family called 911 to assist in the search for the missing child, officials said in their statement.

Upon arrival at the scene, deputies began a search on the ground and in the air with assistance from drones, mounted patrol, a dive team and more.

They looked for Jaylen into the next day. His body was recovered the morning of Sunday, July 27, “in a pond near the family’s home,” the sheriff’s office said. 

“We are heartbroken for Jaylen’s family,” officials added, “and we extend our gratitude to our fellow first responders and the many members of the community who assisted in the search.”

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Jaylen’s dad declined an interview with CBS affiliate WINK but later reshared a post about his death that had been posted by a WINK news anchor on Facebook.

“My son is gone,” he wrote, according to the outlet.