A 6-year-old boy with autism reported missing Sunday afternoon has been found deceased in a pond near his Kaufman County home.
A sheriff's spokesperson confirmed at 2:45 a.m. Monday the body of Dalton Robertson was recovered by divers overnight.
Authorities said Robertson was reported missing after 4 p.m. Sunday after being seen near the intersection of Cottonwood Lane and Farm-to-Market Road 987 wearing a pull-up diaper and black rubber boots.
A Kaufman County Sheriff's spokesperson said the boy's parents believed the boy walked out of the house on his own.
The search for Robertson, who was non-verbal, involved aerial and ground searches with multiple fire departments, Texas Department of Public Safety troopers and the Texas Game Warden.
The Kaufman County Sheriff's Office posted the following statement on its Facebook page:
"In the early morning hours of June 25, 2018 the search for Dalton Robertson came to a very sad end. Searchers located him in a small pond close to his home. Please respect the family’s privacy during this tragic time."
Local
The latest news from around North Texas.
The sheriff's deparmtent went on to thank the community who sprang into action to search for the missing boy Sunday evening.
"In a loss so great and sad it is a comfort to know that we live in a community that is so quick to spring into action to help search for a lost child. People from all over North Texas joined in on the search for Dalton and were ready to show back up in the morning. We cannot thank our community enough for the outpouring of volunteers, food, water and other services. We also wish to thank every law enforcement agency and fire department for all of their assistance. Today, we share a sense of sadness but the light of hope shines in Dalton Robertson, a little boy who brought an entire community together."
Officials with the sheriff's department said foul play is not suspected.
