Enrique Cortez-Dubon missing 6 year old Atlanta boy vacationing with family found drowned along Panama City Beach.
Panama City Beach police have recovered the body of a 6-year-old boy who went missing over the 4th of July holiday weekend, when his family visited the Florida resort town according to a release.
City Spokeswoman Debbie Ward said that the body of Enrique Cortez-Dubon was found on the sand in the 8600 block of Surf Drive around 4 p.m. Tuesday.
He was last seen Monday in shallow water near the resort where his family was staying, which is about 1.5 miles away from where he was found. The family according to police hailed from Atlanta.
Family members said the boy was last seen in knee-high water, with the boy’s parents saying Enrique did not swim well. Not immediately clear is how the boy’s parents lost touch with the infant child.
Enrique was described as being approximately 3 feet nine inches and about 50 pounds. and having brown hair and brown eyes. He was last seen wearing a teal shirt with a wave on it and blue shorts. The boy had also being described as having a large mole on his back.
Boy likely drowned
Leading up to the discovery of the boy’s body, police said that they were investigating both the possibility that the child may have drowned or was abducted.
‘Of course, this is not the outcome we would have wanted, but it is some closure for the family,’ said Police Chief JR Talamantez according to WVTM13. ‘Our hearts are broken for this family. We know they are grieving and our prayers are with them.’
Police did not immediately release a cause of death but indicated that the boy likely drowned after his body was found in the sand by a passerby according to FOX5Atlanta.
The Panama City police chief described the boy’s death as a tragic accident.
A GoFundMe has been set up to assist Enrique’s family with funeral expenses.
