A community in South Carolina is grieving after the tragic passing of 8-year-old Lionel Ramirez Cervantes, a second-grade student at Bells Crossing Elementary School in Simpsonville.
Lionel had last been seen at school on the morning of September 12, 2024, before he was reported missing. According to school officials, he had been with a small group of students and staff when he unexpectedly left the school grounds around 11:10 a.m. Staff members attempted to locate him, but were unable to keep sight of him.
Local authorities quickly launched a search to locate the missing child. The Greenville County Sheriff’s Office shared updates throughout the day, asking nearby residents to check their properties and home security footage, while specially trained search teams, including K9 units, canvassed the area.
In a statement posted later that afternoon, the sheriff’s office shared that Lionel had sadly been found in a nearby body of water off Lenox Lake Drive, not far from the school. Emergency responders and a dive team were involved in the discovery.
“The GCSO is heartbroken to report that 8-year-old Lionel Ramirez Cervantes has been located,” the department said. “Our thoughts and prayers are with his family during this incredibly difficult time.”
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