Body of missing 9-year-old autistic boy found in Inglewood swimming pool, police say

The body of a 9-year-old autistic boy was found late Sunday, just hours after police requested the public’s help in finding him.

Inglewood police posted a bulletin on Twitter at 7:51 p.m. Sunday describing Zavire Dion Portis with hopes that someone would spot him. The bulletin indicated that the boy could not speak and was last seen Sunday afternoon at Edward Vincent Jr. Park in Inglewood.

Police said the boy had walked away from his mother’s parked vehicle.

According to media reports, the boy’s mother told police she pulled over at the park to get a drink of water and that the boy was gone when she returned.

Police immediately began looking for Zavire in a search that included aircraft patrol and police dogs, officers said in a statement Monday. At about 9:30 p.m., park visitors told officers they saw a child’s body in the park’s city pool, which was closed at the time.

Zavire’s body was recovered and identified by family members, police said.

It’s unclear how the boy accessed the swimming pool, which was fenced off. Inglewood police continue to investigate the case and anyone with information can call detectives at (310) 412-5246.

City News Service contributed to this report.