UPDATE: It is with great sadness that we share the following update.

It is with heavy hearts that we share the body of 7-year-old Liam King was discovered this morning in a pond near the area where he was initally reported missing.

We are absolutely devastated. I wish more than anything that we had a different outcome—for Liam’s family, for our community, and for the hundreds of first responders and volunteers who poured their hearts into finding him alive.

Over the past two days, you’ve seen an extraordinary effort from all involved in this search. This loss is truly heartbreaking. We ask everyone to please continue to keep Liam’s family in your thoughts and prayers.

Liam’s death remains an active investigation.

ORIGINAL REPORT:

ASHEBORO, N.C. — A massive search effort is underway in Randolph County for a missing 7-year-old boy, Liam King, who was reported missing late Sunday morning after wandering away from a home on Forest Hills Drive in Asheboro.

According to the Randolph County Sheriff’s Office, deputies received the report of the missing child at approximately 11:00 a.m. Sunday, September 7.

Liam, who has cognitive impairments and is nonverbal, was visiting a relative at the residence when he disappeared.

Sheriff Greg Seabolt confirmed that investigators do not believe Liam was abducted or that foul play is involved, but that he may be lost, disoriented, and at risk.

Hundreds of officers and search crews from the Randolph County Sheriff’s Office, North Carolina Department of Adult Corrections, multiple search and rescue teams, and federal partners including the FBI have been deployed in the search.

Drones, helicopters, K-9 teams, and ground units have canvassed a 2,500-meter radius around the home where Liam was last seen.

Authorities are focusing particular attention on nearby ponds, streams, and other bodies of water, as Sheriff Seabolt noted Liam is known to be fascinated with water.

Deputies said Liam was last seen wearing a light blue, black, and gray Nike sweatshirt, a gray Nike T-shirt, black sweatpants, blue Sonic-themed socks, and tan sneakers.

He is described as approximately 3 feet 5 inches tall, weighing 55 pounds, with shoulder-length dark hair and brown eyes.

Officials caution that because Liam is nonverbal, he may run if approached by strangers.

The father of missing 7-year-old Liam King has been identified as Jose Luis Reyes, who reportedly shared on Facebook that the family is looking for a pair of pants & sweater as the search continues. Reyes works as a manager at a Mexican restaurant and is originally from Mexico.

Liam’s mother has been identified as Brenda Victoria King, a resident of Asheboro, North Carolina.

Court records indicate that she was convicted of larceny in 2016 and received a suspended prison sentence in that case.

This is Liam King when he was 4 months old with his mother & father. Brenda King & Jose Luis Reyes. It appears Brenda & Jose have been separated for numerous years.

To aid in the search, deputies have been broadcasting music and television shows Liam enjoys in hopes of drawing him out of hiding, but those efforts have so far been unsuccessful.

The Sheriff’s Office released a public statement Monday morning:

*“The Randolph County Sheriff’s Office is using every resource available to find this little boy. That includes many law enforcement partners, state, local, and federal resources, and other first responders who have been searching on the ground and in the air since we first received the call that he was missing. We will continue to conduct extensive searches and interviews. Therefore, you will continue to notice an enhanced law enforcement presence in the area where he was last seen. Liam is a member of our community, and we will use every means possible to bring him home.

To ensure the integrity of the tracking efforts currently underway, we kindly ask that no one enter the area at this time unless you have been sent out from the command post. Even a well-intentioned movement could compromise valuable tracks. Thank you for your understanding and support.

Every second counts when a child is missing, especially after the chilly night we just had. Our focus is to find Liam as quickly as possible. No piece of information is too small or insignificant.”*

Authorities have urged anyone who sees Liam, or who may have relevant information, to immediately call 911.

The search remains active and ongoing.