You may have seen flyers of this boy, 5-year-old Indi Bullock, on your social media pages last week. Local Georgia police posted his picture, desperately asking for the public’s help in locating him after he vanished. However, the cops finally came back with a development on the search… and it’s a heartbreaking one.
Gwinnett County Police say Bullock was last seen around 4:25 p.m. Thursday, March 27 around the Sweetwater Apartments. Authorities circulated his pictures, a sweet Black boy with a ton of hair and a toothy smile, asking for tips on his last whereabouts. Police said he jumped over the balcony of his residence before wandering off.
Police described him as three feet tall, forty five pounds with black hair, brown eyes and also said he was nonverbal. He was last seen wearing his mane of hair in two braids as well as a a black shirt, green shorts and no shoes.
Once the boy was reported missing, the police said they, along with Emergency Management, deployed K9 units and search teams during the evening, overnight and in the following wee hours. They also searched the pond behind the apartment complex with a dive team and remote-operated submarine donning cameras.
However, after 14 hours of searching, the Hall County Sheriff’s Department dive team and Gwinnett County Fire Department Swift Water Rescue teams confirmed on March 28 they found Bullock’s remains.
“It’s emotional for everyone involved. It’s hard for everyone to deal with when you end up with an innocent child who walked away from the apartment complex and ended up in the retention pond,” said Gwinnett County Police Cpl. Ryan Winderweedle via 11Alive News.
While investigators were sent to the scene to investigate, it stands now that there was no suspected foul play. Winderweedle described it to be a “tragic accident.” As the county medical examiner determines Indi’s cause of death, his family created a GoFundMe for donations to help lay him to rest.
“Indi was a bright, beautiful soul who brought joy to everyone who knew him. His absence leaves a void that can never be filled. As we process this tragedy, we are asking for support to help cover funeral expenses and provide relief to his grieving family during this incredibly difficult time,” wrote Indi’s mother, Chakia Carter.