Bryan Vasquez (New Orleans Police Department)
The body of a missing 12-year-old boy with autism was found in a New Orleans canal this week after a nearly two-week search, and now police say he died from "blunt force due to an alligator" and drowning.
Bryan Vasquez, who is nonverbal, was first reported missing the morning of Aug. 14 after reportedly escaping through his bedroom window. Police didn’t respond to the missing child call until five hours after it was reported.
Boy’s death sparks criticism
What we know:
The boy’s mother, Hilda Vasquez, told The New Orleans Advocate/The Times-Picayune that her son would often sneak away from their home to head to a playground nearby. However, they’d recently moved to a new house.
He was seen on doorbell camera footage, wearing only a diaper and walking down the street alone, around 5:20 the morning he escaped. His body was spotted by a drone on Tuesday.
Bryan’s disappearance prompted a massive search that included multiple agencies, volunteers, airboats and bloodhounds.
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An autopsy concluded Bryan drowned after he sustained trauma from an alligator. He was found about 200 yards from where the search had started. Authorities said it’s possible his body resurfaced after he died, which is common in drowning deaths.
What we don't know:
It’s still unclear why there was a nearly fire-hour gap between when the boy was reported missing and an officer arriving at the scene. New Orleans Police Chief Anne Kirkpatrick said she’s launched an internal investigation to find out why.
What they're saying:
"Bryan was a bright, charismatic, and energetic young boy whose joy and spirit touched the lives of his family, friends and community," city officials said in a press release.
By the numbers:
Louisiana is home to the largest alligator population in the country. According to the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, hunters capture and remove more than 1,000 nuisance alligators every year in an effort to minimize encounters between the alligators and humans.
Kirkpatrick said she has asked the state to remove nuisance alligators from the canal where Bryan was found.
The Source: This report includes information from The Associated Press.