An 8-year-old boy who ran away from school is found dead in a neighborhood pond

SIMPSONVILLE, S.C. (AP) — An 8-year-old student was found dead in a pond Thursday after escaping from his classroom at a South Carolina elementary school, authorities said.

Lionel Ramirez Cervantes was in a classroom with two other students and three school employees when he ran into the hallway, out of the building and then over or through a fence into a field of tall grass, where he was no longer seen, Greenville County Schools said in a statement.

Police were immediately called and officers, school officials and community members began searching. Divers found Lionel's body about four hours later in a neighborhood pond about 1,000 feet from Bell's Crossing Elementary in Simpsonville, authorities said.

“There are a lot of broken hearts in this school and community today,” Greenville County Sheriff Hobart Lewis said at a news conference.

Before the boy's body was found, officials released information that the boy may have autism or another developmental disability and may not respond to normal verbal cues.

Deputies and school officials are currently investigating exactly what happened and how the child was able to leave school grounds, but stressed that staff responded quickly and attempted to capture him.

“This was our worst fear today and we are grieving as a community. We are devastated to lose one of our children. We will stick together with the support of the school district,” Chris Ross, principal of Bell's Crossing Elementary School, said in a statement.

The school remained open Friday and grief counselors were hired for students and staff. The school district also said it would provide Lionel's family with any support they need.

The boy's autopsy was scheduled for Friday.