Police say a 9-year-old boy is dead after he was found dead in a body of water behind an IKEA store in Red Hook.
According to the authorities, the young boy with autism wandered off from his family as they were shopping in IKEA Wednesday at around 9 p.m. Security footage captured his last moments walking towards the Erie Basin. His body would later be found near 1 Beard St.
After the family realized the boy was missing, the area was crowded with first responders from the NYPD and FDNY who worked into the night. Boats and divers could be seen scouring the water and the shoreline during the 4-hour search.
The medical examiner will now work to determine the exact cause of death.