ORLANDO, Fla. — 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.
Rakim Akbari was initially believed to have wandered away from the resort sometime in the morning, but his body was found by deputies in the afternoon, the Orange County Sheriff's Office said on social media.
No further details were initially provided. In a Florida Missing Child Alert, authorities said Akbari had autism and limited verbal communication skills.
He was also reportedly barefoot and wearing pajama bottoms when he wandered away from the resort.
“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.”
"We extend our deepest condolences and prayers to Rakim's family and loved ones," the Florida Department of Law Enforcement added.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
