The Richmond community in Fort Bend County, Texas, is in mourning following the tragic discovery of the body of eight-year-old Nigerian boy, Ryan Akagbusi, who was reported missing earlier this month.
Authorities identified Ryan as a non-verbal child who disappeared from his home around 4:30 AM on August 24, 2024. His body was found the next day, August 25, in a nearby lake.
In the wake of his disappearance, the Fort Bend County Sheriff’s Office appealed to residents for assistance in locating the boy, leading to an outpouring of support from the community. Many residents joined the search, posting offers of help on the Sheriff’s Office’s official Facebook page.
Reports from various news outlets, including ABC13 (KTRK), indicate that Ryan’s mother shared that surveillance footage captured him leaving his bedroom at approximately 4:56 AM, and another video showed him walking down a nearby street around 30 minutes later.
“My friends and family are here — the whole neighborhood. Police are here. We’ve had K9 units, helicopters, and drones involved in the search,” she stated during the search effort.
Tragically, at about 6:46 AM on Sunday, the Fort Bend County Sheriff’s Office announced on Facebook that Ryan had been located by Texas EquuSearch. His body was recovered from the lake near his last known location, marking a heartbreaking end to the search.
Following the announcement, condolences flooded the Sheriff’s Office’s Facebook page as residents expressed their shock and sorrow. One local resident, Tacoma Burden, commented, “I’m praying hard for this family. It’s my worst nightmare as a parent with a child on the spectrum.”
Another resident, Chris Miller, emphasized the need for vigilance, stating, “The importance of checking repeatedly is so crucial! This poor baby was found in a lake they had already searched.”
Community members also called for preventive measures, with Adriana Castorena advocating for swimming lessons to be integrated into school programs. “We are failing them. Life skills programs in schools should include swimming classes,” she remarked.
Rita Hedt urged local authorities to enforce stricter safety regulations around retention ponds, suggesting they should be fenced and secured with locked gates to protect children and the community at large.
This incident follows a similar tragedy involving another Nigerian child, Aisha Adebayo, a 12-year-old autistic girl who drowned in late June in a lake near her home in Fulshear, Texas. Aisha was last seen leaving her home at night, and her body was recovered the following day.
The community continues to grieve the loss of these young lives while advocating for measures to prevent future tragedies.
