Nonverbal autistic boy, 3, who wandered off from his family home while his babysitter was in the shower is found dead in a river one day after going missing

A three-year-old nonverbal autistic boy from Michigan was found dead in a river a day after he left the house and went missing while his babysitter was in the shower.  

The Clinton County Sheriff's Office received a call about Jermaine Jones missing at about 2pm on October 9 from S. Bauer Road, north of Clark Road in Watertown Township. 

He was found dead in the Looking Glass River at 4pm on October 10. The river is nearly 5 hours away from where the call had been made. 

After the call, the police released specialized units to look for the boy through the night but did not have any success. 

The Clinton County Sheriff's Office received a call about Jermaine Jones missing at about 2pm on October 9 from S. Bauer Road, north of Clark Road in Watertown Township.

He was found dead in the Looking Glass River at 4pm on October 10. The river is nearly 5 hours away from where the call had been made.

After the call was made, the police released specialized units to look for the boy through the night but did not have any success. 

In a Facebook post, they also called for volunteers to gather at Watertown Township Hall the following day to search for the child. 

The Sheriff's Office wrote: 'This afternoon at just after 2pm, Clinton County Central Dispatch received a call of a missing child on S. Bauer Rd just north of Clark Rd in Watertown Township.

'The 3 year old boy pictured walked away from his residence and has not been seen since. He is autistic and non-verbal. 

'We are seeking assistance from the public in locating him. If you live in the area, please check your home, outbuildings, cameras, etc. We are continuing the search with specialized resources this evening with the hope of locating him. 

'If we are unsuccessful this evening, we will bring in more volunteers in the morning.'

The department also asked nearby residents to check their homes, outbuildings and security cameras for any signs of Jones. 

The next day, the department released another Facebook post confirming the death of the child. 

 'It is with great sadness that we are reporting that the missing child was located deceased. There will be a press conference near the Clinton County Incident Command trailer on Bauer Rd just north of Clark Rd at 5:30pm.

'At this time further details may be released. Please pray for the family during this tragic time,' they said. 

The Sheriff's Office wrote: 'This afternoon at just after 2pm, Clinton County Central Dispatch received a call about a missing child on S. Bauer Rd just north of Clark Rd in Watertown Township

During the press conference, one of the officials said they would not answer any questions about the child or babysitter. 

When asked why an Amber alert did not go off for Jones, the official clarified that they did not believe the child had been abducted and that alerts only went off for kidnappings. 

It is believed that the child's parents were at work when the child went missing.

During the search, the child was identified to be wearing a dinosaur t-shirt, shark shorts with no shoes, and curly hair. 

Many Facebook comments on the Sheriff's post highlighted that they should check 'nearby bodies of water' as autistic children are drawn to water and some are unable to understand its dangers. One of the leading causes of death among autistic people is drowning. 

The autism spectrum disorder is known to impact the nervous system and is a chronic disease. Common symptoms include difficulty with communication, social interaction, obsessive interests, and repetitive behavior.