The body of a North Carolina boy who went missing over the weekend was discovered by local authorities on Tuesday following an extensive search effort. Seven-year-old Liam King was found dead in a pond about a tenth of a mile from where he had been staying, the Randolph County Sheriff’s Office confirmed Tuesday afternoon.
“I wish we had positive information to give you,” Sheriff Greg Seabolt said during a press briefing. Hopefully, we can learn something from this and be better next time. Our goal was to find him alive, and we did not achieve that goal.”
Seabolt explained that King’s body was transported to the medical examiner’s office in Chapel Hill for further examination. He noted the process of determining the official cause of death could take several weeks. King had been in the care of his mother’s boyfriend at the time of his disappearance, according to Seabolt.
“Anytime you deal with a child, you become somewhat emotional,” the sheriff added. “You know we all have kids. I got grandkids, and you put yourself in that position. This child had a life to live, and it was taken away from him.” Authorities have not determined whether criminal charges will be filed, emphasizing that the investigation is still in its early stages.
King, described by officials as nonverbal, was last seen around 11 a.m. Sunday at a home on Forest Hills Drive in Asheboro. Authorities said he wandered away from the residence, prompting an Amber Alert to be issued later that day.
Over the course of several days, law enforcement, first responders, and community volunteers searched tirelessly for the missing boy. Teams scoured wooded areas, fields, and bodies of water in the surrounding region, hoping to locate him alive. “This loss is truly heartbreaking,” officials said in a statement, urging the public to keep Liam’s family in their thoughts and prayers during this difficult time.
The investigation into the circumstances surrounding the child’s death remains ongoing. It is unclear at this stage whether investigators have formally interviewed King’s parents or his mother’s boyfriend. For many in the community, the discovery has been devastating, cutting short hopes that the search would end with a safe return.
Authorities expressed gratitude to the hundreds of volunteers who turned out to assist and acknowledged the emotional toll on everyone involved in the search. As the case moves forward, officials stressed their commitment to finding answers for the family and the community.