Tragically, a 5-year-old boy with autism who had gone missing in September has been located dead in a Washington state river. The news has come as an unimaginable shock to the family and community alike.
On Thursday, a local resident strolling with their canine along the Yakima River made an unfortunate discovery: the body of Lucian Munguia. The Yakima Police Department confirmed these somber findings.
On Friday, a post-mortem examination established that the remains were those of the mute child who had last been spotted at Sarg Hubbard Park in Yakima on September 10.
After a careful comparison of dental records, police investigators and the coroner’s office concluded that the body is indeed that of the 5-year-old.
On Friday, Coroner Jim Curtice of Yakima County declared the boy’s demise an unfortunate accident from drowning in the river. Further investigation revealed no signs of foul play involved.
Once the DNA testing is finished, law enforcement will be able to provide more specifics in regard to what caused the boy’s death. Nevertheless, they have already stated that no criminal activities were involved.
As soon as Lucian’s family reported him missing to the authorities 15 minutes after starting their own search, a massive community effort was initiated in an attempt to locate the boy who had vanished on Sept. 10th. The Yakima Herald-Republic noted this remarkable display of solidarity for one another shown by those living within that town.
D.J. Goldsmith, the Yakima Deputy Fire Chief who joined in on the search attempts for Lucian, stated that it was normal for a river like this to take roughly four months of searching before finding him due to its vastness and other conditions.
“Even though we give 100% effort to locate things, including using infrared drones, there are so many tributaries and multiple places where things can get hung up,” Goldsmith stated.
Despite the lack of information provided by officials, search and rescue teams from neighboring counties have mobilized to locate the boy in both the park and the river region. A thorough investigation is ongoing as they comb through these areas for any sign of him.
The FBI dive team meticulously combed through the park’s lake and other close-by bodies of water. Even after law enforcement officials reduced their investigation efforts, Lucian’s kinfolk and volunteers still looked for him tirelessly.
A $10,000 reward was offered as an incentive to help locate Lucian during the course of his search.
The police expressed their heartfelt sympathies to the boy’s family following this heartbreaking event.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with the family and friends of Lucian,” police stated.
