Cause of death for missing 5-year-old Hart Co. boy released

The cause of death for a Hart County child with special needs has been released.

Hart County Coroner Anthony Roberts told media outlets on Wednesday that the preliminary cause of death for five-year-old Silas Chearer was drowning.

Silas went missing from Cub Run at approximately 8:00 Tuesday morning. He had last been seen walking away from his Cub Run residence.

At approximately 9:20 Tuesday morning, state police issued a press release saying Silas had been found deceased. Foul play is not suspected in the death, KSP Post 3 Public Affairs Officer Katan Parker told WHAS11.com

Silas had been diagnosed with autism.

An Ian Alert was issued when Silas went missing. The alert system only went into effect during the summer of 2024 and is designed to help find children with special needs, especially those in the autism spectrum.

Perhaps relevant in this case is the fact that people in the autism spectrum are drawn to water. According to the Autism Society of Florida: “Water has a captivating allure that attracts people from all walks of life. However, individuals with autism often exhibit a strong fascination and attraction to water that goes beyond what the rest of us may experience.”

By Ken Howlett, News Director

Contact Ken at ken@k105.com