Georgia’s Gwinnett County According to the Gwinnett County Police Department, the body of a 5-year-old boy who vanished Thursday afternoon was discovered in a retention pond close to his house on Friday.
Officials are certain that the body belongs to 5-year-old Indi Bullock, but an official identification has not yet been made.
A boy from Gwinnett County is missing.
The backstory: The 5-year-old boy, who was reported by the authorities to be nonverbal, was last seen at an apartment in the Reflections on Sweetwater Apartments on Sweetwater Road at approximately 4:25 p.m. on Thursday.
According to officers, Bullock’s mother called the police as soon as she realized he was missing. It was found that the child had crossed the guardrail to their home’s patio.
Sgt. James Lawson of the Gwinnett County Police Department stated, “From what I understand, this has never happened before.”
The swift water rescue team from the Gwinnett County Fire Department and the dive team from the Hall County Sheriff’s Department found the boy’s body. In order to gather any potential evidence and thoroughly process the scene, the Gwinnett Police Department’s Crime Scene Unit arrived on the scene.
At a press conference, officials stated that they do not suspect foul play and that they simply think it was a tragic, unfortunate accident. The family has cooperated, and they will keep looking until the Gwinnett County Medical Examiner’s Office has officially determined the cause of death.
The hunt for Indi Bullock
The backstory: As numerous local and state agencies continued to use a large number of resources in an attempt to find 5-year-old Indi Bullock, the search for him grew more intense on Friday morning.
With the help of Gwinnett Emergency Management and several specialized units, the Gwinnett County Police Department reports that search efforts have been going on ever since the child was reported missing on Thursday afternoon.
Through the evening, overnight, and early morning hours, K-9 teams from Gwinnett Police and the Gwinnett Search Team have been diligently searching the area where Indi was last seen.
As part of the search, the Georgia Department of Natural Resources used a remote-controlled, camera-equipped submarine to spend several hours inspecting a nearby retention pond. To help with the search for the same pond, Gwinnett Fire also sent out its Swift Water Rescue Team.
Helicopters and drones equipped with thermal imaging cameras were among the aviation support vehicles. The Hall County Sheriff’s Department sent its dive team to help with underwater search operations, and the Gwinnett County Sheriff’s Department provided additional manpower.
What caused Indi Bullock’s death?
What we don’t know: No evidence of foul play has been discovered by authorities.
“There is no reason to believe that there is any suspicion at this time,” Lawson stated. “Nothing credible… suggests there’s anything other than when he jumped over the balcony… he wandered off.”
The Gwinnett County Medical Examiner’s Office has not yet determined an official cause of death.
What you can do: To assist the family with expenses, a GoFundMe page has been set up.
Indi was described as a “bright, beautiful soul who brought joy to everyone who knew him” by the mother and search organizer. There is an unfillable void left by his absence.
