Body Of 9-Year-Old Autistic Boy, Missing Since July 4th, Found In Lake
DAVISON TOWNSHIP (WWJ) - The body of a 9-year-old boy, missing since the Fourth of July, has been found in Lake Callis.
Davison Police Chief Rick Freeman says they received a 911 call at around 12:30 p.m. Friday after park visitors spotted what appeared to be a human body in the lake.
"First responders confirmed the body of a small boy was found deceased in the water," Freeman said. "Along with the ongoing investigative procedures, we are currently working to confirm the identity at this time — however, I am confident at this point to inform this community that we are no longer searching for Omarion Humphrey."
Omarion — who had severe autism and answered to the nickname "Mars" — disappeared from a gathering at Lake Callis Recreation Area in Genesee County, near Flint, on Saturday. He was the subject of an AMBER Alert over the weekend.
The news came as a surprise after Davision Township police, just Thursday evening, had said they were confident that the park area had been searched thoroughly enough to re-open today.
Omarion's biological father, Jamell Humphrey, was shocked when he got the call.
"I lost it," he told WWJ Newsradio 950's Jon Hewett.
"That was my biggest nightmare that he was in that lake. I'll tell, you the other day — the first two days — was really nerve-wracking...but I was pretty confident he wasn't in there," he said. "I can't even put it into words; I have no words right now. Just pain and hurt, grief."
The investigation continues into the death of 9 year-old Omarion Humphrey here at Lake Callis Rec Center. @WWJ950 pic.twitter.com/Ew4gF6w33D
— Russ McNamara (@McNamaraWDET) July 10, 2015
The area of the lake near the park's pavilion and splash pad, where the boy was last seen on security footage, had been repeated searched by dive teams using sonar.
Multiple law enforcement agencies, including the FBI, and hundreds of professional and volunteers have been involved in the nearly week-long search.
"As far as the people in the Davision area and everybody that helped out, I very, very much appreciate they're help and all their time and all their effort — because I know they were really trying," Jamell Humphrey said. "I don't want this to be a damper on the city of Davision...I'm just hurting right now."
Omarion was in the care of a foster family at the time of his disappearance, and Jamell Humphrey believe the state needs to do better background checks before placing children.
According to reports Omarion and his siblings were removed from their home nearly five months before he went missing, due to poor living conditions and neglect concerns.