At an elementary school in South Carolina on Thursday, an 8-year-old student ran away from his classroom and was found dead in a pool, according to authorities.
According to a statement from Greenville County Schools, Lionel Ramirez Cervantes was in a classroom with two other children and three staff members when he ran out into a hallway, out of a building, over or through a fence, and into a field of tall grass where he was no longer seen.
Police, administrators and community members began searching as soon as they were notified. Authorities reported that Lionel's body was discovered by divers in a neighborhood pool about 300 meters (1,000 feet) from Bell's Crossing Centers in Simpsonville four hours later.
At a press conference, Greenville County Sheriff Hubert Lewis stated, “There are a lot of broken hearts in the school and in the community today.”
Deputies said the young man may have autism or another developmental problem and may not have responded to routine verbal cues before his body was discovered.
While staff members quickly responded and attempted to apprehend the boy, deputies and school authorities are still looking into the details of what happened and how the boy left the scene.
“As a community, we are in deep mourning because this was our worst concern of the day. The loss of one of our children is unbearable. With the support of the district, we will stand together,” Principal Chris Ross of Bell's Crossing Elementary School said in a statement.
On Friday, the school remained open and teachers and students were given access to grief counselors. The district added that it is offering Lionel's family any assistance they need.
The boy was scheduled to undergo an autopsy on Friday.
