9-Year-Old Boy with Autism Goes Missing and Is Discovered Hours Later Dead

A regular shopping trip quickly turned into tragedy for one Brooklyn family.

The body of a nine-year-old boy was discovered by search and rescue teams close to the edge of a waterway after he lost contact with his family during a shopping trip at an IKEA store in Red Hook, Brooklyn.

In an article published by CNN, local law enforcement officials confirmed that the young boy had autism.

During an interview with CBS News, the child’s mother, Abida Sultan, stated that a nanny had been watching the young boy, Nehan, while the family group was inside IKEA. She told reporters that Nehan had quickly separated from the group without anyone immediately noticing.

The family searched frantically through the IKEA store for thirty minutes while pleading with the IKEA store staff members to check through the security cameras, which were located throughout the store.

After reviewing the security camera footage, Nehan was observed exiting the store just before 9 o’clock on Wednesday evening and walking in the direction of the Erie Basin, a small artificial harbor located close to the IKEA store.

The Fire Department of the City of New York and the New York City Police Department responded to the pier behind the IKEA store and immediately deployed patrol officers on foot, harbor units, an air unit, K-9s, divers, and the Technical Assistance Response Unit in the search efforts.

Several hours after the search began, the child’s body was located at the water’s edge behind the IKEA store, according to police. He was immediately transported to the New York Presbyterian/Brooklyn Methodist Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

Sultan said during an interview with CBS that she would never have expected Nehan, who had an affinity for water, to run towards the basin without supervision.

“He doesn’t speak at all. That’s why he couldn’t call, ‘Ma, help me!’” Sultan told CBS News.

“We at IKEA are devastated by this tragedy. Our hearts are with the family at this difficult time,” a spokesperson from IKEA said, speaking to CNN.

“I am heartbroken to hear the news of the 9-year-old child who drowned in Red Hook last night,” New York City Councilmember Alexa Avilés said in an interview with CNN. “As a mother and representative of this community, I extend my sincerest condolences to the family.”

Currently, the New York City Medical Examiner’s Office hasn’t released the cause of death.

Tragedy During Shopping Trip for Family of Young Boy – Conclusion

This tragedy only serves to remind us of all of the dangers associated with water and children with autism. We recently wrote an article about a study that discovered that children with autism are 160 times more likely to drown compared to children without autism.

It reinforces the need for all children, especially those with autism or on the spectrum, to get professional swimming coaching and also learn how to swim.

If you have any questions about autism products or would like to find more information about sensory products, please don’t hesitate to reach out and contact us directly. Our friendly and professional team is standing by to assist you.