Body of missing 9-year-old boy with autism found on shore in Red Hook, Brooklyn
NEW YORK -- The body of a 9-year-old boy who went missing from the Ikea in Red Hook, Brooklyn was found by the shoreline shortly after midnight Thursday, police said.
Abida Sultan clutched onto the orange crocs her son, Hasebul Nehan, wore when police say he jumped into the Erie Basin.
Police said the boy, who is nonverbal and on the autism spectrum, went missing from the store on Beard Street at around 9 p.m. on Wednesday.
"We looking for the whole Ikea half an hour. I told them look, check the camera, check the camera. I don't see my son, check the camera," a despondent Sultan said.
Authorities said he was seen on surveillance video walking out the back of the store, which leads to the Erie Basin.
A large emergency response ensued, with NYPD and FDNY drones, boats, divers and a K-9 unit searching for Nehan.
Three hours later, his body was pulled out, and police said he was pronounced dead at the hospital.
"They don't see. We didn't think he can go into the river," Sultan said. "He doesn't speak at all. That's why he couldn't call, 'Ma, help me!'"
The family said there was a nanny assigned to watch over the boy, but he ran away in what felt like a split second.
"She was watching he just jumping. I told him let him jump a little bit, but watch him. Then suddenly he jump and turn away run away in one minute. We didn't see," Sultan said.
Sultan said her son had an affinity for cartoons, candy and bodies of water.
"He likes to see river. He likes to see ocean. I take him lots of time. Never happened ... this never happened," Sultan said. "He run away all the time for candy. We found him. I thought I'll find him again," Sultan said.
She said she had planned to show him the water after the family shopping trip.
The family shared video of Nehan at a birthday. He would have turned 10 in October.
Police say no criminal charges are expected, adding it appeared to have been a tragic accident.
In a statement, a rep for Ikea said, "We are devastate by this tragedy. Our hearts are with the family at this difficult time."
