WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — A 5-year-old boy who was the subject of a statewide Missing Child Alert over the weekend was found dead in a waterway near his home, according to reports.
Deputies found the body of Dahud Jolicoeur late Saturday evening about a block away from his home on Wood Glen Circle, according to WPTV-TV, citing the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office.
A spokesperson told the station the boy had autism, was non-verbal and could not swim.
Sheriff's office officials asked the public to keep Jolicoeur in their thoughts and prayers, WPBF-TV reported.
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement sent out its alert about Jolicoeur just after 6:30 p.m. Saturday. His body was found several hours later, according to WPTV.
A record number of children drowned in Florida in 2021, the Florida Department of Children and Families said earlier this year — 98 in 2021 compared to 69 in 2020. Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show that a disproportionate number of people of color die by drowning, with the disparities highest among Black children.
