After an 18-hour search, authorities found the body of 5-year-old Santiago Gonzalez in a Grand Prairie creek. His community, family, and teachers mourn his tragic loss. NBC 5’s Keenan Willard has the story.
The Grand Prairie Police Department confirmed the body of a 5-year-old boy missing since Sunday night has been found in the water near his apartment complex.
Santiago Aburto Gonzalez was last seen at his residence at the Ashton Park Apartment Homes in the 2400 block of W. Pioneer Parkway at about 7 p.m. on Sunday. Gonzalez's mother told NBC 5 he has autism and walked out of their home and disappeared.
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WATCH HERESpeaking to NBC 5 in Spanish during search efforts on Monday, Santiago Gonzalez’s mother called her son "her dream" and a playful child.
"We always cared for him, my partner and I, like no one could care more for him, but this time he didn't appear," Karen Gonzalez said.
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SIGN UP She says the boy walked out of their apartment just after 7:30 on Sunday night and was captured on their home’s security camera.
The family called the police, who quickly sent an emergency alert and launched an intensive search.
For hours on Monday, Grand Prairie police dive teams, the FBI and US Marshals combed through the woods and nearby creek. They were helped by community members like Shannon Amador – the boy’s preschool teacher.
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"When we saw the news we got together and said yeah, we’re going out there," said Amador. "We’ve got to find this baby."
Monday afternoon dive teams stopped searching the water in the area near his home and left. An ambulance soon arrived with a stretcher, then the medical examiner's office and forensics teams.
Around 3:30 PM, Grand Prairie police announced that divers had found Santiago's body submerged four feet underwater in Cottonwood Creek.
The water is about 50 yards downhill from the apartment complex.
The Grand Prairie Police Department met with the boy's family, and offered their deepest condolences, saying they would continue to support the family as needed.
Police said while the case remains under investigation, no foul play is suspected and no charges are expected to be filed.
