ORLANDO, Fla. — A 5-year-old boy who was the subject of a Missing Child Alert has been found dead, according to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.
"It’s with a heavy heart that we must report that Aaron Pena was found, deceased, in a body of water not far from his home," the Orange County Sheriff's Office wrote on Facebook. "We are grieving his loss and our prayers are with his family."
Aaron Pena had been last seen Wednesday in the Orlando area before wandering away from his home on Savannah Landing Circle, according to an earlier release from the Orange County Sheriff's Office.
The FDLE did not release details on where Pena was found or if a cause of death has been determined.
Authorities said when Pena wandered away from home he had been wearing a brown, long-sleeve shirt with a bear holding a boombox on it and light-colored dinosaur pajama pants. He was reportedly 3 feet 11 inches tall, weighed about 41 pounds and had brown hair and brown eyes.
According to the sheriff's office, Pena had autism and was nonverbal.
"It is with sadness to report the child has been found deceased," the FDLE said in a statement. "Please remember his family and friends during this difficult time."