On September 12, 2024, 8-year-old Lionel Ramirez Cervantes went missing from Bells Crossing Elementary School in Simpsonville, South Carolina. He was last seen around 11:10 a.m. near the school playground after fleeing from staff who were unable to stop him.

The Greenville County Sheriff’s Office (GCSO) launched a search. “Lionel is still missing,” the department posted at 2:10 p.m., urging the public to check cameras and avoid interfering with search dogs.

By 4:12 p.m., deputies tragically confirmed that Lionel’s body had been found in a pond off Lenox Lake Drive, near the school. Dive teams discovered him just after 3 p.m. “This news breaks the heart of the GCSO,” the department wrote, adding that victim coordinators were supporting the family.

Lionel’s mother, Dalia Cervantes, a single mom of five, shared her heartbreak online: “My boy didn’t have to die in this manner… I no longer have my Leo.” She called his death “negligence,” expressing gratitude to those offering condolences but holding the school accountable.

The community remains in mourning over the devastating loss.