Nonverbal Autistic Boy, 7, Found Dead in Neighbor's Pool Two Days After Vanishing from Family Party in Menands, New York

Harbe Nagi was 7 years old. He could not speak. He disappeared from a family party on a Sunday afternoon, and his body was found in a neighbor's pool two days later.

Menands Police were called at approximately 4:23 p.m. on Sunday, about 10 minutes after Harbe vanished from the gathering, according to NEWS10. The pool where his body was discovered is in Menands, a village just north of Albany, New York.

Lieutenant Kevin Schwebke of the Menands Police told reporters Tuesday: "We want to express our condolences and appreciation for everybody that came out and helped in the search efforts. Obviously, we are extremely saddened by the results."

The search lasted through Sunday night and into Monday before his body was found Tuesday around 8 a.m., according to NEWS10.

Who Harbe Was

Harbe Nagi is the nephew of Adam Alharbi, the mayor of Hamtramck, Michigan. His condition, nonverbal autism, means he could not call out for help or communicate his whereabouts. He is believed to have wandered off during a party at a neighboring house.

What Officials Said

Menands Mayor Brian Marsh urged the public not to speculate about the circumstances of Harbe's death. No official cause of death has been confirmed.

The medical examiner's determination is pending. Until that finding is released, the precise sequence of events between Harbe leaving the party and the discovery of his body remains unconfirmed by authorities.

The Concern Families and Advocates Raise

Parents of nonverbal autistic children frequently argue that standard safety infrastructure—unfenced pools, unlocked gates, the absence of pool alarms—creates an environment that is functionally dangerous for a population that cannot self-rescue. The argument is not about negligence by any single party at a party. It is about whether communities have adequately thought through what "safe" means when a nonverbal child is present.

What Happens Next

The medical examiner's office will determine the official cause and manner of death. That finding will clarify whether authorities treat this as a tragic accident or whether any further investigation is warranted.

For the Nagi family and Mayor Alharbi, the question of how a 7-year-old could wander undetected into a neighboring property's pool within minutes of being reported missing will not be answered by a medical examiner's report alone.