Desperate three-day search for a missing boy in North Carolina ends in tragedy

Desperate three-day search for a missing boy in North Carolina ends in tragedy

A desperate three-day search for a missing boy in North Carolina has ended in tragedy.

Seven-year-old Liam Alexander King, believed to be nonverbal, was reported missing on September 7 in the area of Forest Hills Drive, according to the Randolph County Sheriff’s Office.

Helicopters, drones and K-9 units
When Liam was first reported missing three days earlier, officials quickly issued alerts. They explained that he was nonverbal and faced cognitive challenges, cautioning that he could run if approached. Authorities also noted his strong fascination with water, which added urgency to the search.

Teams from local, state, and federal agencies joined the search, deploying helicopters, drones, K-9 units, dive teams, and ground crews.

They scoured wooded terrain, nearby yards, and — most urgently — the ponds and waterways surrounding Liam’s home.

Despite the tireless efforts of deputies, volunteers, and first responders, search crews made the devastating discovery of Liam’s body on the morning of September 9 in a pond close to where he was last seen.

”We are absolutely devastated”
Shortly after, the sheriff’s office shared the heartbreaking news on Facebook, writing:

“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.”