Additional Coverage:
Tragedy struck New Orleans this week as police confirmed the death of 12-year-old Bryan Vasquez. The nonverbal boy, who went missing on August 14th, was found deceased in a lagoon in the city’s Michoud neighborhood.
Police Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick stated that the cause of death appears to be drowning, coupled with blunt force trauma consistent with an alligator attack. The investigation into the precise circumstances surrounding Bryan’s death is still underway and currently classified as “unclassified.”
The boy’s disappearance sparked a widespread search and raised questions about the police department’s response time. A 911 call reporting Bryan missing was not addressed for five hours, a delay that Superintendent Kirkpatrick has ordered an internal investigation to address. She stated that “something’s not right here” regarding the delayed response.
Adding another layer to this tragic story, police have obtained a search warrant for the cell phones of Bryan’s parents. While the reason for this remains unclear, Kirkpatrick emphasized that examining all available avenues is standard procedure.
Bryan, who had a neurodevelopmental condition and understood neither English nor Spanish, was last seen leaving his bedroom window around 5 a.m. on the day of his disappearance. Security footage captured him shortly after, just blocks from his home, wearing only a diaper. The United Cajun Navy, a volunteer emergency response group, played a key role in locating Bryan’s body using drone technology, bringing a somber close to the search efforts.