Missing 7-year-old girl with autism found dead in retention pond, authorities say

HOUSTON (KHOU) - A sad end to the search for a missing 7-year-old girl in Texas.

Skylar Hopson, a nonverbal child with autism, was reported missing from her home in Pearland Wednesday morning.

Pearland police said she may have walked away from the house with her iPad. Drones, K-9 teams, a helicopter and dozens of volunteers joined the search.

A search dog tracked the child’s scent to a nearby retention pond, where divers later pulled the girl’s body from the water.

“It’s extremely tragic. It’s a very sad day,” Pearland Officer Chad Rogers said. “We’re extremely sad for the family.”