Body of 5-Year-Old Autistic Boy Found in North Texas Creek

Tragic Discovery of Missing Child

• 💔 The search for 5-year-old Santiago Gonzalez, who went missing Sunday evening, has ended with the tragic discovery of his body.
• 📍 Grand Prairie Police found his body in a creek adjacent to his family's apartment complex off Pioneer Parkway.

Circumstances of Disappearance

• 🏠 Santiago reportedly wandered away from his ground-floor apartment around 7:00 PM on Sunday.
• 🧩 His mother, Karen Gonzalez, stated that Santiago is autistic and may have wandered off seeking the playground.

Search and Recovery Efforts

• 🚓 A large-scale search effort involved hundreds of police officers, law enforcement personnel, and volunteers.
• 🏊 A Grand Prairie dive team located the boy's body approximately 4 feet deep in the creek.
• 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Tragically, Santiago's parents had been searching the same creek just minutes before the discovery.

Family's Anguish

• 😥 Santiago's mother expressed her desperation, stating she couldn't eat or sleep and just wanted her son back safe.
• ⚠️ She hoped someone had found him and was afraid to return him.

Investigation Update

• 🚫 Police currently do not suspect any foul play in the child's death.
• 🚗 Eastbound lanes of Pioneer Park Parkway were temporarily closed following the discovery but have since reopened.