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ASHEBORO, N.C. — Deputies said a 7-year-old boy with special needs was found dead after three days of search efforts.
Deputies confirmed Tuesday that the body of Liam King was found shortly after 10 a.m. in a pond near his home on Forest Hills Drive in Asheboro. The Randolph County Sheriff’s Office said the pond was about one-tenth of a mile from where he was staying. His body has been sent to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Chapel Hill to determine the cause of death.
“We are absolutely devastated. I wish more than anything that we had a different outcome—for Liam’s family, for our community, and for the hundreds of first responders and volunteers who poured their hearts into finding him alive,” the Randolph County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement.
Liam, who had autism and was nonverbal, was last seen Sunday morning. Deputies said he had been outside with his mother’s boyfriend when he disappeared. His family called 911 shortly after 11 a.m. From there, search efforts by investigators began inside and around the house before moving to nearby ponds.
According to investigators, Liam had a phone with him, but it only worked part of the time. A ping showed he had been near a pond, then traveled down a logging road, and ended up at another pond – the one where his body was found near the edge.
Over the past three days, search crews focused on water, wooded areas, and open fields near the home. The effort included about 100 personnel, along with canine units, helicopters, ATVs, and utility vehicles.
Deputies said there is no indication of foul play. Multiple agencies, including the FBI, assisted in the search effort. The sheriff’s office said Liam’s death remains under investigation.
