A 3-year-old boy with autism who went missing was found dead in the waters of a Florida resort on Thursday.
According to a statement from the Orange County Sheriff’s Office, Rakim Akbari was reported missing earlier that morning after wandering away from his family during a visit to the Sheraton Vistana Villages in Orlando.
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It is unclear whether the child was found in the resort’s pool or in a man-made lake on the property.
“We are deeply saddened to announce that our officers found Rakim Akbari deceased in the resort’s waters after he was reported missing this morning,” the Orange County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement.
Sheraton Vistana Villages Resort Villas, man-made lake in the evening. (Jeffrey Greenberg/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
“We are saddened by his death and our prayers go out to his family,” the statement added.
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Police reported Rakim as a missing person as soon as he went missing on Thursday, attaching a picture along with his name.
“Rakim, also known as ‘Tuda,’ has autism and there are extreme concerns for his welfare. He was last seen this morning wearing white pajama pants and a maroon shirt,” the Orange County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement earlier.
Rakim, who was nicknamed “Tuda”, was reported missing by police in the early hours of Thursday morning. (Orange County Sheriff’s Office)
“Please help spread the word about the missing 3-year-old boy, Rakim Akbari, who wandered off this morning (July 18th) from a resort in the 8800 block of Palm Village Circle.”
Police are yet to confirm the cause of the child’s death.
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According to the Orange County Sheriff’s Office, “detectives are still investigating how this tragedy occurred.”
