Brooklyn in Shock as Autistic Boy Disappears from Ikea Store Near Deadly Waterway

A Brook­lyn neigh­bor­hood is on edge after a 9‑year-old autis­tic boy went miss­ing from an Ikea store under mys­te­ri­ous circumstances. 

The boy, who is unable to speak, was last seen exit­ing the rear door of the pop­u­lar fur­ni­ture store, which leads direct­ly to the per­ilous Red Hook Chan­nel. A hor­ri­fy­ing clue was found in the water — the boy’s orange Crocs, float­ing omi­nous­ly in the murky current.

Police believe the boy may have wan­dered into the water, which is known for its strong tides and hid­den dan­gers. A mas­sive search and res­cue oper­a­tion was launched, with offi­cers scour­ing the shore and pier, divers brav­ing the dark waters, and a police boat shin­ing its light on the black sur­face. K9 units were also deployed, but failed to find any sign of the boy’s scent end­ing at the water’s edge.

As dark­ness fell, the boy’s fam­i­ly watched in agony, hop­ing for a mir­a­cle. The com­mu­ni­ty prayed that the beloved child had some­how escaped harm, despite the over­whelm­ing odds. But with his spe­cial needs mak­ing him vul­ner­a­ble, and time run­ning out, this was a night of ter­ror that would haunt many for a long time.