A heartbreaking tragedy has unfolded in Simpsonville, South Carolina, where 8-year-old Lionel Ramirez Cervantes drowned in a pond near Bells Crossing Elementary School after going missing on September 12, 2024.

Lionel, a second grader at the school, was last seen around 11 a.m. before he reportedly ran from his classroom and fled the building. At the time, he had been accompanied by two other students and three staff members, who tried to catch him but lost sight of him.

Search efforts and heartbreaking discovery

The Greenville County Sheriff’s Office quickly launched a search to locate the missing boy. In an afternoon update, officials urged community members to stay in their vehicles and avoid searching on foot to prevent disrupting the scent trails for search dogs. They also asked residents to check property cameras for any possible sightings of Lionel.

Sadly, by 4:12 p.m., the sheriff’s office confirmed that Lionel’s body had been discovered in a body of water off Lenox Lake Drive, not far from the school grounds. Deputies and dive teams had searched throughout the day before locating him shortly after 3 p.m.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with the family at this time,” the department said in a public statement. Victim support coordinators have been assigned to assist the grieving family.

Family grief and allegations of negligence

Lionel’s mother, Dalia Cervantes — a single mother of five — shared her anguish on social media following the devastating news.

“Today I received a call from Lionel’s school that he went missing,” she wrote. “A few hours later he was found in a nearby creek. I know he is now in a better place and with his dad. But my boy did not have to lose his life this way.”

She added: “Negligence caused his death. Now I am left without my Leo. I do want to thank everyone who has sent condolences and support. I saw the video and it does not justify their actions.”