Autistic boy found dead in pond in Florida

Eight-year-old had disappeared a day earlier

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Missing autistic boy found dead
Feb. 24: The body of an 8-year-old autistic boy was found in a retaining pond across the street from his Florida home. WTVJ's Tom Llamas reports.

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updated 7:02 p.m. ET Feb. 24, 2006

GREENACRES, Fla. - The body of an 8-year-old autistic boy was found in a retaining pond across the street from his home Friday, one day after police launched a massive search for him.

Jared McGuire’s mother told authorities she had last seen him sleeping on the couch Thursday afternoon. After she reported him missing, police scoured the area dogs and a helicopter. Authorities suspect the body sank and then resurfaced.

A deputy spotted Jared in the pond Friday. An autopsy was planned Friday to determine the cause of death.

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There were no obvious signs of trauma and the boy was fully clothed, Greenacres Police Lt. Michael Porath said. Authorities said the boy had severe autism.

Police had issued an alert after a witness reported seeing a child matching Jared’s description being forced into a van.

“We are still looking into the abduction angle,” Porath said. But he said because the boy was found so close to home, it appears less likely that he was abducted.

Greenacres is 8 miles south of West Palm Beach.