The frantic search for a missing 4-year-old girl with autism in Sutton, Massachusetts, came to a tragic end Thursday night when she was found unresponsive in a neighbor's swimming pool and later declared dead at UMass Memorial Medical Center in Worcester.
Officials have been fairly tight-lipped about this case, but the outcome has devastated the family, neighbors and first responders in town.
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A friend visiting the girl's family told NBC10 Boston that they are devastated and unable to speak publicly right not as they mourn the sudden loss of Eva.
The little girl's body was found in a pool at the end of Green Road, a few hours after a 911 call to Sutton police at 3:50 p.m. Thursday.
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“My heart, my stomach, I just couldn’t breathe," said Ronda Tawadros, who helped search for Eva. “For an autistic child. I know it’s so hard because I know we have a family member and you just call their name and they don’t respond.”
Tawadros lives near Eva's home and felt compelled to join the community searching neighborhoods and the woods for her.
That was until Sutton police called off the search Thursday night, sparking growing concern in the community. In a heartbreaking update Friday morning, the Worcester County District Attorney's Office confirmed that the girl had drowned.
Sutton Public Schools has said they will have counseling services available at Sutton Elementary School from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday.
"We are incredibly saddened by this loss," interim Supt. Caitlin Paget wrote. "We are here to support our school community."
Paget said this loss is sure to raise many emotions, concerns, and questions for the entire community, especially students and staff, and encouraged community members to feel free to use their available support team services.
The preschool where Eva attended also extended its deepest sympathy to her family Friday, sharing how much they'll miss the little girl.
"As an educator your students are your children, you pour everything into them and love them like they were your own. There are no words to express the depth of sorrow our Small Wonders Family is feeling," Small Wonders Childcare and Preschool wrote in a statement. "Her smile and laugh will remain in our hearts forever. We will always be grateful for the time we spent with our Eva girl."
The news is impacting first responders, as well, with Sutton police saying in a Facebook post, "The past 12 hours have been incredibly difficult for one of our families in town and our team of first responders. There are no words that we can offer to help ease the heartache… We are so incredibly sorry.”
Jeff Cardin, who has an autistic family member, had also joined the search for Eva Thursday and says he would hope for the same community response if he were in the same situation.
“It’s a tight knit neighborhood. We all look out for each other," he said. "It happened last year when a person got stuck on an excavator down here. Same scenario, a lot of people looking out for each other, just everybody helping each other.”
A local pastor called on social media users to come together and avoid placing blame, writing on Facebook, "Our human curiosity makes us want to chase details, speculate, even judge. Let's restrain ourselves from such things. It's time to love neighbors, pray to God for them, and serve them if and how the opportunities present themselves.”
Investigators haven't provided further details at this time, including who was watching the little girl when she went missing.
Drownings involving children on the spectrum aren't unusual. A 2017 Columbia University study found children with autism are 160 times more likely to die from drowning than other children.
Just last month, 6-year-old Zayan Mayanja escaped from his home through a window and was found dead in a nearby Westford lake.
Last summer, 7-year-old Ana Mburu from Lowell was reported missing, her body later found in the Merrimack River in nearby Tewksbury.
And on Mother's Day last year, 4-year-old Mohamed Abou Fofana disappeared from a playground at South Boston's Castle Island and was found dead on the shore of Spectacle Island in Boston Harbor.
