Boy who was reported missing from a resort near Disney World found dead in water

A 3-year-old boy who was reported missing from a resort near Walt Disney World in central Florida early Thursday was found dead in a body of water on the resort's grounds several hours later, the sheriff's office said.

The boy was initially believed to have wandered away from the resort sometime in the morning but his body was found by deputies in water on the resort's grounds in the afternoon, the Orange County Sheriff's Office said on social media.

No further details were initially provided.

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The boy was described in a “missing child” alert as having autism and wearing pyjama bottoms.

“Our detectives are still looking into how this tragedy occurred,” the sheriff's office said. “We are grieving his loss, and our prayers are with his family.”