CHARLOTTE, N.C. _ Maddox Ritch, the 6-year-old boy with autism who was found dead near a Gastonia park in September, probably drowned, an autopsy shows.
Gastonia police said they don't expect to file criminal charges in the boy's death.
Searchers found Maddox's body in a creek near Rankin Lake Park on Sept. 27 after a five-day search. The boy's father had said he last saw his son running out of sight after a jogger on a trail around the park's lake.
An autopsy by the Mecklenburg County Medical Examiners Office, released Thursday, lists the cause of death for the 44-pound boy as "probable drowning."
But it noted that, because of the body's decomposition and likely predation by animals, "the exam itself cannot be conclusive. The findings are not inconsistent with drowning."
No charges have been filed in the case.
"We appreciate everyone's patience and support while we worked to uncover every piece of evidence available to bring our death investigation to this conclusion. I ask for continued prayers for Maddox's family and everyone touched by this child's tragic death," Gastonia police Chief Robert Helton said in a statement Thursday. "We appreciate our many law enforcement, search and rescue partners, and countless others who assisted us in the search for Maddox. We do not anticipate any criminal charges being filed in connection with the investigation."
The search for the boy, who was nonverbal, escalated rapidly after he was reported missing. The FBI and two dozen other agencies joined the case, and hundreds of personnel were involved in the search. Gastonia police pleaded for leads from the public, including information on potential witnesses.
The body was found in 2 to 3 feet of water in Long Creek, downstream from the park, heavily camouflaged by debris.
