Body of missing 8-year-old found by dive team in Greenville Co.

GREENVILLE COUNTY, S.C. (WSPA) – The body of an 8-year-old child who went missing from an Upstate elementary school was found Thursday afternoon in a nearby pond.

The Greenville County Sheriff’s Office said the body of Lionel Ramirez Cervantes was found in a pond near Lake Lennox Drive.

Ramirez Cervantes was last seen around 11:10 a.m. near the playground at Bells Crossing Elementary School.

Deputies said Lionel, a third grade student at the school, lived with autism and was somewhat nonverbal.

The school had been placed on hold while the search was underway according to deputies.

Deputies said his body was found shortly after 3 p.m. by dive team members in a pond located in a neighborhood around 800 feet from the school.

Sheriff Hobart Lewis said Ramirez Cervantes ran from the school and was chased by staff members.

According to Lewis, he was able to get over a fence before staff could reach him. It is not yet known how he ended up in the pond.

“A lot of broken hearts in the school and this community today,” Lewis said. “We want to thank this community that came out to look for this young man. We had numerous volunteers show up try to help search the woods to locate him.”

Greenville County Schools superintendent Burke Royster said counselors will be available at the school for students and staff at Bells Crossing Elementary.

“Words are just not sufficient to describe this tragedy,” Royster said. “Our hearts and prayers are with this family, this community, with this school community.”

Lewis said there was no indication at this time that any charges would be filed in the case.

BELOW: The Greenville Co. Sheriff and Greenville County Schools superintendent hold news conference after the body of Lionel Ramirez Cervantes was found.

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