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A seven-year-old autistic boy who disappeared in upstate New York has been found dead after an intensive multi-day search, authorities confirmed on Tuesday.
Harbe Nagi, the nonverbal nephew of Hamtramck Mayor Adam Alharbi, was reported missing on June 28 from the village of Menands, near Albany. Police had warned that the child might have required medical attention and was believed to be barefoot when he vanished.
Authorities described Harbe as being about 3 feet 7 inches tall. A description of the clothing he was wearing at the time of his disappearance was not immediately available.
The search drew a large response from police, firefighters, emergency crews and community volunteers, who carried out extensive ground searches in and around the village. In an unusual effort to locate the child, authorities even deployed an ice cream truck, hoping its familiar music might encourage Harbe to emerge if he was hiding nearby.
On Tuesday, Mayor Adam Alharbi announced the heartbreaking news in a Facebook post, confirming that his nephew had been found dead.
“Thank you to everyone who helped in the search,” the mayor wrote, expressing gratitude to the many volunteers and first responders who joined the effort.
Authorities have not disclosed where Harbe’s body was found or the cause of his death. The circumstances surrounding the tragedy remain under investigation, and officials have not indicated whether foul play is suspected.
The death has saddened both the local community and residents of Hamtramck, where Mayor Alharbi has received an outpouring of condolences following the loss of his young nephew.
