Five-year-old found dead after walking away from Hart County home

A 5-year-old boy with autism reported missing from Hart County, Kentucky, early Tuesday was found dead. 

An IAN Alert was issued by Kentucky State Police around 9:35 a.m. Tuesday that said Silas Chearer, a 5-year-old boy with autism, was seen walking away from his home at approximately 8 a.m. in Cub Run, Kentucky, north of Mammoth Cave State Parkl

"Tragically, he was found deceased," KSP said in a news release later Tuesday morning. "KSP grieves with the family and the community."

Most people are familiar with Amber Alerts, which are issued when a missing child is endangered. 

The IAN Alert is issued for missing children under 18 with intellectual disability or mental illness. The alert is named for a 9-year-old autistic boy who walked away from a group home in Northern Kentucky in 2022.

The law went into effect on July 15th, 2024.