Body of North Carolina boy, 8, found in pond two days after he wandered away from home in diaper

A frantic search for a missing 8-year-old boy has ended in tragedy after his body was discovered in a pond just days after he disappeared from his family home in Ronda, North Carolina.

Zachariah "Zach" Walker, who had nonverbal autism , was last seen around 7:30pm local time on Tuesday, when he walked away from his home on South Lomax Road according to the Wilkes County Sheriff's Office. His family reported that he was last seen in their front yard wearing only a diaper.

In response, over 100 law enforcement officers were deployed, along with drones and thermal cameras. "They also have neighbors helping in the search. They are trying to limit unnecessary foot traffic in the area with search underway," a representative for Wilkes County EMS told WJW.

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But the search has been called off after the unresponsive boy was recovered from a pond located less than half-a-mile from his home. He was rushed to a local hospital, where he was sadly pronounced dead.

The sheriff's office has stated that the family is cooperating with authorities to determine how Zach ended up leaving his home alone. According to Wilkes County Emergency Services, it seems the child's death was not due to foul play, reports the Express US .

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"We want them to know and to feel like we were here in a positive way to support and come to a positive outcome," said Jason Reavis, Director and Coordinator of Wilkes County Emergency Services, to WJW.

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"Even though we did not, we want to know that we brought closure and that they are in our thoughts and our prayers, and we also support them to the best of our ability," he added. The child's cause of death hasn't been disclosed.

Zach's grieving grandmother described him as a "happy child" who enjoyed running and playing, despite having limited communication skills.