A missing 2-year-old boy was found dead inside of a vehicle in Texas outside of his home about 15 hours after he vanished.
Sarbesh Gurung had wandered off on July 2 after his mother put him down for a nap, his mother told police officers, reported WFAA. When she went to check if he was still sleeping, he had disappeared.
“She had last seen her son four minutes prior to the 911 call. She was doing something in the residence and then turned around and the child was gone.” Police Chief Frank Dixon said, reported Fox 4.
“There wasn’t anything open that led us to know that. But very close to him preceding to leaving, one of the doors was open for a short period of time.”
Police officials told CBS DFW that Sarbesh was found dead in the back of a car near his family’s apartment.
The body was found around 6:30 a.m. Wednesday.
MISSING CHILD: Please be on the lookout for Sarbresh, a 2 year old Asian male who was reported missing in the 2400 block of W. Prairie St. It is unknown what the child was wearing at the time. If you see him, please call 911 immediately. pic.twitter.com/kNrzNrHv9i
— Denton Police Dept (@DENTONPD) July 2, 2019
This is the shirt Sarbesh is said to have been wearing today. If you have any information, please call our tip line at 940-349-7960. pic.twitter.com/cjsKkQdqv2
— Denton Police Dept (@DENTONPD) July 3, 2019
Dixon made the announcement during a news conference Wednesday morning, reported NBC DFW. The Denton Police Department had said it was going to give a briefing at 8:30 a.m.
There were no clear signs of trauma, Dixon said.
“We stand here this morning heartbroken,” Dixon added, expressing condolences to the boy’s family.
People could not see into the car where Sarbesh was found because of dark windows and a sunshade, reported KTRK.
Authorities said that the boy’s family is devastated. The boy’s mother was being treated for an unspecified medical emergency. She suffered a panic attack when she was told about her son’s death.
More than 100 people had shown up to help authorities search for the boy before he was found, with the search including dumpsters and manholes in the surrounding area.
Denton police chief says 2 year old Sarbesh Gurung has been found dead in a car. “We stand here this morning heartbroken.” pic.twitter.com/xYw1spY3se
— Alan Scaia (@scaia) July 3, 2019
WATCH LIVE: Denton police give an update in the search for missing Sarbesh Gurung. https://t.co/SSFtKAxn1Y pic.twitter.com/qvPSxZ67uj
— WFAA (@wfaa) July 3, 2019
“I can’t tell you how proud I am to live in a community and work in a community like Denton, Texas,” said Dixon, reported CBS DFW. “The amount of community members that came out here from the mayor, to the city council people, and just everyday citizens, was amazing.”
He said on Tuesday night that a renewed search was going to happen after 7 p.m.
Anthony Kurialacherry, who knows the family, told the broadcaster the boy’s father was earning his PhD at the University of North Texas. The boy’s mother was a full-time caregiver.
“He’s a nice little 2-year-old kid, always laughing. He always calls me uncle, ‘hey uncle,’” he added about the boy. “He’s always coming next to me, very charming kid.”