Zayan Mayanja, Westford 6-year-old, found dead – NBC Boston

An autistic 6-year-old boy who went missing in Westford, Massachusetts, on Sunday evening has died after being found in a lake shortly after midnight.

Westford police said they responded to a home on Chestnut Road on Sunday shortly after 9 p.m. for a report of a missing six-year-old child. The boy was identified as Zayan Mayanja, a non-verbal autistic child who escaped from his home through a window.

All available Westford police officers immediately began searching for the child in the surrounding streets, nearby parks and neighborhoods. K-9 and drone teams were activated, a boat was launched on nearby Nabnasset Lake, the Massachusetts State Air Wing was deployed and a reverse 911 alert was issued to area residents.

Around 12:08 a.m. Monday, police said Zayan was found in the waters of Nabnasset Lake behind a home on Lake Shore Drive South. Lifesaving measures, including CPR, were initiated by the first officers who found the child and later by the Westford Fire Department. He was taken by ambulance to Lowell General Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

“The Westford Police Department extends its deepest condolences to Zayan’s family and friends and asks the public and media to respect the family’s privacy at this tragic time,” Westford Police said in a statement.

The investigation is still ongoing and is being conducted by Westford Police and State Police assigned to the Middlesex District Attorney’s Office.

Westford police said Zayan was a student at Westford Public Schools, and grief counselors will be made available to friends or family members who need help.