Body of Missing Boy Believed to Be Found in Louisiana

Authorities in New Orleans have discovered a human body in a lagoon, suspected to be that of 12-year-old Brian Vasquez. He died during an alligator attack in August after he went missing from home.

The Orleans Parish Coroner’s Office noted that the remains appeared to be that of a child, according to reports from WDSU News. Wildlife officers captured an alligator in the area on Severes Street, and volunteers located Vasquez’s body nearly two weeks after he went missing.

Following the capture, the alligator was transported to Lacom for examination, where the body was identified. Officials indicated that labs in Baton Rouge will conduct tests to confirm whether the remains belong to Vasquez.

Vasquez, who was nonverbal, disappeared on August 14 after leaving his bedroom at around 5 a.m. Nearly two weeks later, volunteers found him in a lagoon close to his home. The coroner reported that his death was due to blunt trauma, which aligns with the circumstances of the alligator attack.

In the fallout from this tragic incident, the boy’s mother, Hilda Vazquez, has been charged with child abuse and negligent homicide. She was arrested shortly after Brian’s body was found. Authorities are citing a history of neglect and abuse over the years, according to Deputy Director Nicholas Gernon.

Court records show that Hilda had previously been convicted of abuse when Brian was just three months old, with claims of serious injuries including a broken skull and collapsed lungs. Although the Louisiana Children’s Bureau had intervened and removed the child from the home, he was later returned.

Additionally, the New Orleans Police Department is facing scrutiny after it was revealed they delayed their initial response to a 911 call reporting Brian’s disappearance. They have also requested the removal of the alligator from the lagoon where the boy was found.