Amari Galan Is Believed to Have Left a Residence in Rocky Ford on Foot Around 4 A.m. Local Time on May 18, According to the Colorado Bureau of Investigation
The body of a toddler who went missing in Colorado over the weekend was found in an irrigation canal, according to authorities.
The Colorado Bureau of Investigation announced Saturday, May 19, that the body of 3-year-old Amari Galan was found in the Catlin canal, which runs behind the child’s home in Rocky Ford.
His body was located “several miles downstream” around 5 p.m. local time, about 13 hours after he was last seen, according to a news release from the agency.
The boy had autism, according to the Rocky Ford Police Department.
Galan is believed to have left a residence on Washington Street on foot around 4 a.m., according to a missing persons bulletin from the CBI. The child was reportedly only wearing a diaper at the time.
Authorities used drones and dogs in addition to searching for Galan on foot, according to the RFPD.
The child was pronounced dead at the scene, according to officials. The Otero County Coroner and the child’s family confirmed his identity.
“Law enforcement wishes to share its condolences with the family of Amari Galan,” the CBI wrote in its news release.
Rocky Ford mayor Duane L. Gurule also offered condolences and prayers “to the family and loved ones of Amari during this unimaginably difficult time.”
“May we come together as a community to offer our support, comfort, and strength to the family of Amari Galan during this heartbreaking time,” he said in a statement shared on Facebook. “Our thoughts are with you.”
Gurule also thanked members of law enforcement and the search-and-rescue personnel “who worked tirelessly in the joint search efforts to locate Amari” after he disappeared.
“Your dedication, professionalism, and compassion in the face of such a tragic situation have not gone unnoticed,” the mayor concluded.
No reason or cause of death has been released.
