Missing 8-year-old found drowned after running away from school

On September 12, 2024, a South Carolina second grader went missing and is said to have drowned in a pond close to his school.

Tragic reports state that 8-year-old Lionel Ramirez Cervantes attended Simpsonville’s Bells Crossing Elementary School. Prior to his disappearance, he was last observed at the school on September 12 at approximately 11 a.m.

According to sources, the young child fled both his classroom and the school. At the time, he was with three staff members and two other students; the staff attempted to follow him but were unsuccessful.

The Greenville County Sheriff’s Office started a search for Lionel after he ran from school, but it has since been reported that the search resulted in tragedy.

“Lionel is still missing,” the department wrote at 2:10 p.m. Since we have dogs on the ground that follow scents, we ask that community members who are requesting assistance in the search refrain from getting out of their cars and starting to look “on foot” while we continue our search. The most important request is for people to examine their cameras and property to see if there was any activity that could have recorded Lionel’s movements.

The sheriff’s office then posted to say that Lionel’s body had been moved at 4:12 p.m.

Lionel Ramirez Cervantes, 8, ran away from Bells Crossing Elementary School and was found in a body of water off Lenox Lake Drive, a short distance from the school. This news breaks the heart of the GCSO. Around 11:10 a.m., Lionel was last seen close to the playground after allegedly leaving the school, according to the Facebook post.

“Search and rescue operations were launched by deputies, who worked on them all day. Members of the dive team discovered Lionel’s body in a body [of] water off Lenox Lake Drive just after three o’clock in the afternoon. Victim coordinators from the GCSO are available to assist the family during this tragic event. At this time, our prayers and thoughts are with the family.

Lionel’s mother, Dalia Cervantes, a single mother of five, expressed her grief on social media shortly after news of his death broke.

I was notified by Lionel School today that he had vanished. He was discovered in a nearby creek a few hours later. I am aware that he is now with his father and in a better place. However, my boy didn’t have to die in this manner,” she wrote on Facebook.

I was notified by Lionel School today, September 12, 2024, that he had vanished. He was discovered a few hours later in a

Dalia Cervantes posted this on Thursday, September 12, 2024.

He died due to negligence. I no longer have my Leo. I do want to express my gratitude to everyone who took the time to offer support and condolences to me and my children. I watched the video, and it doesn’t excuse what they did.

Peace be with you, Lionel Cervantes Ramirez.