A grueling, multi-day search for a missing seven-year-old boy with autism has ended in the most devastating way possible, revealing a heartbreaking oversight by investigators in a suburban upstate New York neighborhood.
The body of young Harbe Nagi was discovered on Tuesday morning, June 30, after it rose to the surface of a neighbor’s backyard swimming pool—a pool that law enforcement admits had already been checked multiple times. The tragic discovery concluded a frantic 40-hour rescue effort and left a family and an entire community entirely heartbroken.
A Tragic Oversight in the Water
Harbe’s body was found just steps away from the home where he was last seen in the village of Menands. Menands Police Lieutenant Kevin Schwebke revealed to the Times Union that search teams had carefully scrutinized the specific backyard pool during the initial phases of the investigation. However, the water in the pool was heavily clouded, completely obscuring the bottom and causing searchers to overlook the child’s body beneath the surface.
It was only when the boy’s body naturally rose to the top of the water on Tuesday morning that the grim reality was uncovered. Authorities have since confirmed that the official cause of death was an accidental drowning, and they emphasize that there is no indication of foul play.
The Menands Police Department expressed their profound sorrow in a public statement following the recovery.
“The circumstances surrounding Harbe’s death remain under investigation,” the department wrote. “The Menands Police Department extends its condolences to Harbe’s family, friends, and all those affected by this tragic loss.”
The Anatomy of a Vulnerable Search
The emergency began on Sunday afternoon, June 28, at approximately 4:23 p.m., when dispatchers were franticly notified that Harbe had vanished from the Park Drive area. He had been missing for a mere ten minutes, but investigators knew immediately that the clock was ticking against formidable odds.
Harbe did not live in the neighborhood; he and his mother were merely visiting a close friend. Because the boy was both autistic and non-verbal, his ability to communicate his distress or navigate the unfamiliar terrain was severely compromised. Furthermore, authorities noted that Arabic was the primary language spoken in his home, meaning his comprehension of English commands or calls from search parties was likely limited.
The search teams tailored their tactics to Harbe’s unique personality. Knowing that the boy possessed a profound, deep-seated fascination with water, climbing, and the outdoors, crews focused heavily on surrounding hazards.
They also tried to use his favorite things to guide him home. Knowing how much he loved the song “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star,” authorities strategically deployed ice cream trucks throughout the neighborhood, playing their familiar musical chimes in the desperate hope that the sound would soothe the boy and lure him out of hiding.
As the hours dragged into Monday, the family grew increasingly desperate, offering a $10,000 reward for his safe return.
A Mother’s Constant Vigil
Harbe’s uncle, Adam Alharbi—who serves as the mayor of Hamtramck, Michigan—shared the devastating update with his constituents and friends on Facebook, explaining the agonizing context of his nephew’s elopement.
Alharbi explained that Harbe’s tendency to wander was a known, constant challenge that his mother fought tirelessly to manage.
“The child was trying to escape the house,” Alharbi shared with NBC affiliate WNYT. “He has autism. He’s tried to escape the house several times before, but the mom would follow him and get him back into the house.”
On this quiet Sunday afternoon, however, the split-second window between a child slipping through a door and a mother’s pursuit proved too wide to close.
A Community United in Grief
The family has announced that a funeral service to honor Harbe’s brief life will be held on Thursday, July 2, in the nearby town of Latham, New York.
Even as they confront an unimaginable landscape of grief and the painful knowledge of the cloudy water that hid their boy for days, the family has expressed immense gratitude for the thousands of strangers and neighbors who joined the physical and spiritual search for Harbe.
“I would like to sincerely thank everyone for the outpouring of love, prayers, and condolences we have received during this incredibly difficult time,” Alharbi wrote. “Your kindness has been a source of great strength for our family.”