Tragic: 9-year-old boy with autism who went missing in Texas found dead near body of water

CONNECTICUT -- Police said a nine-year-old boy with autism from Connecticut who went missing in Texas was found dead on Saturday, November 26th.

Pearland police posted on Facebook early Saturday morning that the search which was scheduled to resume later had been called off after Marcus McGhee's body was found.

Police said McGhee was found near a body of water near his family's property just before 7:00 a.m.

McGhee was a student at the CREC, or Capitol Region Education Council, River Street School in Bloomfield, Connecticut.

"The CREC community is saddened by the loss of Marcus McGhee, a student at CREC River Street School," Communications Director Amanda Falcone told Eyewitness News.  "He was a very special person to our staff, and he will be missed dearly by all who knew him. Counselors will be available to staff and students beginning this weekend and throughout next week."

Police and civilian searchers spent hours Thursday and Friday searching for Marcus who disappeared from a home on Fite Road on Thursday afternoon. Pearland police said Marcus and his family were visiting relatives for the Thanksgiving holiday.

"It's starting to get late. It's starting to get cold," Lt. Onesimo Lopez said. "I'm wearing a jacket and as far as we know, he left without a jacket. He's out there in a T-shirt and some sweatpants so we're definitely going to be concerned about his health."

For the remainder of Thursday and all day Friday, The Coast Guard, ATVs and volunteers were assisting police with the search. As night fell on Friday, police told civilian searchers to stand down and discouraged residents from searching on their own.