Body of 4-year-old autistic boy found in stream

The body of a 4-year-old boy reported missing from Hopkins, Minnesota, on Sunday, June 9, was found on Monday, June 10, according to the Hopkins Police Department press release.

Waeys Ali Mohamed was found dead in Minnehaha Creek, near the 7800 block of Powell Road, around 10:40 a.m. Monday, the Hopkins Police Department said, according to CBS News. He was discovered about 500 meters from his building.

Mohamed was an autistic, nonverbal preschooler who disappeared after leaving his apartment alone Sunday morning around 7:30 a.m.

Authorities issued an emergency alert Sunday morning and law enforcement from Hennepin and Ramsey counties, the FBI, firefighters, State Patrol drone pilots and aircraft, several K-9 units , search and rescue teams and hundreds of civilians were involved in the search. said Captain Craig Kreilin of the Hopkins Police Department, according to Kare 11.

“We provided a lot of public resources for this, but what was really significant in this case was the number of community members who came out to help us. And I think that says a lot about the community that we have here at Hopkins and we want to help each other,” Kreiling said, according to CBS News. “This was a horrific and tragic accident from everything we can determine.”

Mohamed likely died of accidental drowning, Kreiling said authorities are working with the sheriff and the Hennepin County medical examiner's office to determine the child's cause of death.

“There are a lot of rumors and conjectures about this case, about different things that have been posted on social media. What I can say is that we have proof that Waeys left this building of his own volition , and there is no possibility of trying to blame anyone else at this time,” Kreiling said.

A GoFundMe page has been set up to help the child's mother with afterlife expenses. “Our goal is to collect donations to help a single mother financially as she goes through this difficult time,” the donation description begins.

“It is impossible to fully describe who Waeys was in words. He was a dynamic, funny and caring young boy who brought joy to everyone around him! read the description.

According to the Star Tribune, a small memorial was set up Monday evening near the bridge crossing Minnehaha Creek, with several local residents paying their respects to the preschooler. “It’s just horrible that a young life was cut short so soon and I feel really sorry for the family,” Hopkins resident Barbara Addington said, according to the outlet.

Jaylani Hussein, executive director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, added: “People in the community feel torn and were hoping to hear good news, but they felt, over time, that it was not good news. new. »

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A representative for the Hopkins Police Department did not immediately respond to PEOPLE's request for more information Monday.