The body of a 5-year-old boy with autism was discovered over the weekend in the Pocono Mountains region of Pennsylvania, just hours after he was reported missing, authorities said.
Samuels was last seen around 9 a.m. on Sunday near a residence on the 100 block of Rose Drive in Chestnuthill Township, just north of Allentown, local media outlets reported.
Officials have not released any additional details about the incident, such as cause of death or whether foul play is suspected. NTD reached out to the Pennsylvania State Police for more information, but a response was not received by publication time.
Leadbeter urged fellow lawmakers to advance House Bill 2102, also known as Aiden’s Law, which would create a "Purple Alert" system to help locate missing individuals with cognitive, intellectual, or developmental disabilities.
Leadbeter introduced the bill in December 2025, following the death of Aiden Ha, a 6-year-old nonverbal and autistic boy from Columbia County who was found dead in a river two months earlier, and called for full approval in the House and Senate after it unanimously passed the House Judiciary Committee.
"We want to make sure that law enforcement partners, parents and families have all the tools available to them to ensure they can bring our most vulnerable citizens home safely. This isn’t a left versus right issue. It’s a bipartisan one," he said. "As a father to two beautiful daughters, my biggest nightmare is losing them at such a young age. Every child deserves to make the most out of this precious gift called life."
"Our family is destroyed by this tragedy," Crosdale added. "We are grateful for the support of our community during the search, and now we ask for your help as we try to honor Ajani’s memory and lay him to rest. Any support means so much to us during this heartbreaking time."