A missing boy was found dead. Police say he was killed by an alligator. Julia Gomez, USA TODAY August 29, 2025 at 2:49 AM The body of a missing 12yearold boy with autism was found near a canal, and coroners believe he died following an alligator attack, according to officials.
- - A missing boy was found dead. Police say he was killed by an alligator.
Julia Gomez, USA TODAY August 29, 2025 at 2:49 AM
The body of a missing 12-year-old boy with autism was found near a canal, and coroners believe he died following an alligator attack, according to officials.
Bryan Vasquez's body was found in a lagoon on Tuesday, Aug. 26, nearly two weeks after he was reported missing, New Orleans Police Department Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick said at a news conference.
His body was located with a drone, according to CBS News.
The Orleans Parish Coroner determined that the cause of death was blunt trauma consistent with an alligator attack and subsequent drowning, according to an email the NOPD Public Affairs Division shared with USA TODAY. The case has since transitioned from a missing juvenile investigation to an unclassified death investigation. The NOPD's Homicide Division is leading the investigation.
"We know that these are difficult outcomes, and we still have quite a grieving community and a grieving family," Kirkpatrick said.
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When did Bryan Vasquez go missing?
The 12-year-old went missing on Aug. 14, when he left his house on the east side of New Orleans, according to CBS News. He escaped through a bedroom window.
At around 5:20 a.m. local time, on the day Vasquez went missing, doorbell footage captured the child, who is nonspeaking, walking down the street alone.
Police are investigating the child's death
The NOPD is investigating the circumstances surrounding Vasquez's death, according to an NOPD spokesperson.
Anyone with information regarding the child's disappearance is asked to call Crimestoppers at 504-822-1111. Tips can be submitted anonymously.
'Nuisance alligators' to be 'eradicated'
Kirkpatrick formally requested that the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries "eradicate" nuisance alligators, she said during the news conference.
Louisiana has one of the largest alligator populations, according to the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries. The state has a population of over one million wild alligators.
Do alligators usually attack people?
Alligators, which live along the edges of bodies of water, naturally fear humans, according to the Texas Parks and Wildlife. They will usually run off if approached by a person, and attacks are rare.
When alligator attacks turn lethal, the remains of victims are often found intact, according to A-Z Animals. While alligator attacks are rare, cases of alligators eating humans are even rarer.
Julia is a trending reporter for USA TODAY who covers all things Labubu and Pop Mart. Connect with her on LinkedIn,X, Instagram, and TikTok: @juliamariegz, or email her at [email protected]
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Missing New Orleans boy killed in alligator attack, police say
Source: "AOL General"
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