Missing 12-Year-Old's Body Found in Pond 3 Days After He Disappeared While Going to Friend's House

Mar. 15, 2025

Juan Acevedo, the 12-year-old who was found dead three days after he went missing in Virginia Beach.Photo:Virginia State Police

Virginia State Police

A missing 12-year-old boy has been found dead in Virginia Beach three days after he disappeared while going to a friend’s house.

An AMBER Alert for Juan Sebastian Mejia Acevedo was issued early on Saturday, Jan. 25, according toVirginia State Police.

Juan’s parents called police around 9 p.m. local time on Friday when he did not come home from a friend’s house, according topolice.

The pond is reportedly near the address where Juan’s parents last saw him.

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Juan was last known to be alive around 2 p.m. on Friday when he was seen playing in the snow with friends on a Ring doorbell camera at a condominium near the apartment where Acevedo lived, according toThe Virginian-Pilot.

Police said the case was treated as a possible abduction after authorities learned Juan’s parents may have received ransom notes.

“One of our theories is that it was possibly a scam perpetuated on the family … but we would be negligent if we did not treat it as an actual threat, an actual kidnapping, until we know otherwise,” Neudigate said, WVEC reported.

Neudigate said it’s too early to say what caused the boy’s death. It is unclear if a homicide investigation will be opened.

source: people.com