Six-year-old with autism found dead behind home after she went missing, deputies said

A six-year-old with autism went missing from her Palm Beach County home on Tuesday. A few hours later, authorities found her dead, according to deputies.

The non-verbal child, who hasn’t been identified, was immediately report missing by her parents around 7 p.m. when they couldn’t find her, Palm Beach Sheriff’s Office Spokeswoman Therese Barbera said.

Upon arriving at a home in the 3600 block of Timberline Drive, deputies began an “exhaustive” search trying to locate the girl.

Search and Rescue K-9s, a helicopter, deputies knocking on neighbor’s doors, reverse 911 call searches and other methods were deployed.

Just before 9 p.m., Barbera said the child “was discovered lifeless in a body of water behind the residence.”

She was taken to a hospital, where she was pronounced dead.

Barbera added that detectives do not suspect foul play. The investigation is ongoing.