A five-year-old boy who had been reported missing in Katy, Texas, was found dead early Monday morning in a pond near his home, Fort Bend County authorities reported.

The victim was identified as Edward Hall, who the sheriff's office said was nonverbal and had been diagnosed with autism.

The minor had been last seen on July 19 in a home located in the 3800 block of Ryans Rock Court, in Katy, Click2Houston reported.

His body was located around 1:43 a.m. Monday by volunteers from the Texas EquuSearch Search & Recovery organization, in a pond located within the Park at Tamarron.

The family reported him missing after searching for him in the home

The Fort Bend County Sheriff's Office reported that the family called authorities at approximately 10:30 a.m. Sunday after searching for the child inside the home without being able to find him.

The authorities indicated that the pond where the minor was located does not have fences or other protection measures, which facilitates access to the water.

An Amber Alert was issued on Sunday afternoon as efforts to locate the child continued.

According to local media, around 200 residents joined the search efforts, using drones, all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) and other equipment to explore the area.

Some neighbors played songs from the children's shows Little Einsteins and Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, hoping that Edward would respond to familiar sounds.

The Sheriff's Office deployed an extensive operation that included the Air Support Unit, a team of divers, drones and agents who conducted door-to-door tours while following possible clues about the minor's whereabouts.

Authorities rule out signs of a crime

Rachel McAdoo, a neighbor interviewed by a local media, explained that many children on the autism spectrum may have difficulty identifying risky situations and may be attracted to water due to its visual and sound stimuli.

Another resident, Natalie López, highlighted the community's commitment during the search.

"We are not going to stop. We review, we review again and we will continue doing so as long as necessary. We are searching as if it were our own son," he said.

The Sheriff's Office confirmed that the family has already been notified of the death and noted that, at this time, there is no indication that a crime has been committed.

However, the authorities specified that the investigation remains open to determine the circumstances under which the minor's death occurred.

“Our condolences and thoughts are with Edward's family and loved ones during this very difficult time,” the agency said in a statement.

This news has been tken from authentic news syndicates and agencies and only the wordings has been changed keeping the menaing intact. We have not done personal research yet and do not guarantee the complete genuinity and request you to verify from other sources too.