UPDATED: Missing Ronda child found dead

RONDA — Following a 16 and a half hour search by multiple agencies, the body of a missing child was located near his home in Ronda. Eight-year old Zachariah William Walker was reported missing from his residence on Lomax Road around 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday evening, according to a press release from the Wilkes County Sheriff's Office.

Authorities said an initial search of the immediate area was conducted and a search party plan was initiated by deputies on the scene. The Wilkes County Sheriff's Office, along with Wilkes EMS, Wilkes Rescue Squad and numerous other agencies from the surrounding area conducted a search which concluded just before noon Wednesday with the discovery of the child's body.

A press release from the Sheriff's Office said the child's body was located in a pond near the home.

In a media interview following the search, Wilkes EMS Director Jason Reavis said that the Sheriff's Office did not deem the death foul play at the time, but an "unfortunate accident."

The release from the Sheriff's Office stated that the case is "an active and on-going investigation, with no further information at this time."

More than 40 emergency agencies from Wilkes, Surry, Yadkin, Iredell and other nearby counties aided in the search as well as the North Carolina Department of Corrections Drone Team, NC State Bureau of Investigations, North Carolina Civil Air Patrol and others.