VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — The missing Virginia boy who triggered an Amber Alert in Virginia over the weekend died from an accidental drowning, according to officials with the medical examiner's office.
The body of Juan Sebastian Mejia Acevedo was found Monday afternoon in a pond outside the Cambria at Cornerstone apartments in Virginia Beach, police said.
The 12-year-old was believed to be at a friend's house Friday morning and was reported missing by his parents later that night, authorities said. An Amber Alert was issued Saturday morning stating that the child may have been abducted.
The pond where his body was found is near Mica Avenue, the address where police said Acevedo was last seen by his parents.
Courtney Rivera captured footage on her Ring doorbell camera of Acevedo playing with his friends in the snow, and has been helping in the search since.
"I feel heartbroken," Rivera said. "Just thinking about it makes me tear up, because it's just—nobody wanted this outcome."
WATCH: Ransom requests prompt abduction investigation for Virginia Beach boy
Police did not elaborate Monday on the circumstances surrounding Acevedo's death, but Virginia Beach Police Chief Paul Neudigate said he thinks the ice that formed on the pond during the recent cold weather "played a big role."
Police started investigating Acevedo's disappearance as a possible abduction after his parents received a ransom message on Facebook.
After learning of this, police treated the case as an abduction and contacted state police to send an Amber Alert.
Although there's more clarity on the circumstances surrounding Acevedo’s death, one part of his disappearance remains in question: the person(s) behind a ransom sent to his family.
While Acevedo’s parents were on Facebook Live spreading awareness about their son's disappearance, they received a ransom request for their child via WhatsApp.
"There was a request through social media for $500, which either the family or someone on behalf of the family paid," Neudigate said.
After the payment was made, police said there was no further communication. They are still investigating who was behind the ransom.
“Unfortunately, because it involved out-of-state transactions, we need search warrants, subpoenas, to try to identify who that individual was who received that money," Neudigate said.
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