Who Is Beau Henderson? Details About The Missing Child Found Dead Near Campsite
He was just seven years old.
Facebook A young boy was found dead on Sunday in southeast Texas.
The San Patricio County Sheriff offered his sincere condolences to the Henderson family in a Facebook post on Sunday evening after announcing the body of the boy had been found. He had been reported missing earlier that day.
In 2018, there were 424,066 National Crime Information Center (NCIC) entries for missing children, according to the FBI. This is over 40,000 fewer cases than in 2017, which had 464,324 cases. Out of all the active missing person records in 2018, nearly 35% consisted of juveniles under the age of 18. Regardless of these entries, however, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children notes that “since many children are never reported missing, there is no reliable way to determine the total number of children who are actually missing in the U.S.”
While it may seem that the issue of missing children is getting worse, The Washington Post reported in 2013 that the cases are on the decline—as seen in the FBI statistics for 2017 and 2018—and noted that not all cases are from kidnapping.
Investigators do not believe Beau was kidnapped or murdered. Who was he, and how did he die? Below are five details about the child’s life and death.
1. He is not the CEO of RichLife Advisors.
A man of the same name is not the same seven-year-old Beau Henderson that passed away on Sunday.
The adult Beau Henderson is an esteemed financial advisor and has been featured in media outlets including The Wall Street Journal, CNBC, and MarketWatch. He is the bestselling author of many books related to his business.
This Beau Henderson is based in Atlanta, Georgia, hundreds of miles away from the tragedy that took place on Sunday.
2. He was from Johnson City, Texas.
Johnson City is about a three-and-a-half hour drive north from Corpus Christi. The city is home to about 2,000 people.
It has a longstanding presidential history. Not only was the city the hometown of Lyndon Johnson, it was founded by James Polk Johnson, the president’s uncle.
3. He went missing at around 12:20 p.m. on Sunday.
Like many families that go to Corpus Christi State Park, Beau and his family were enjoying a day at a park campsite. They were at a fishing pier in the Catfish Cove area. Then, in the early afternoon, Beau went missing. According to a Facebook post made by Oscar Rivera, the San Patricio County Sheriff, Beau wandered off from the pier back to campsites #62 and #70. He never made it there. He was reported missing in the early afternoon, and the search for the boy swiftly began.
Beau was described as being 4’10” and weighing 50lbs. He had blonde hair and blue eyes and was last seen wearing blue jeans; no shirt nor shoes. He was also described as possible walking with a limp.
4. His body was found later that afternoon.
At 5:45 that afternoon, investigators said they recovered Beau Henderson’s body. He was found deceased near the campsite.
Rivera wrote that the boy apparently drowned at the water’s edge near the campsite, in Catfish Cove at Lake Corpus Christi. Jim Wells County Precinct 5 Constable Robert Vasquez wrote a Facebook post that it appeared as though Beau had fallen.
Rivera noted all of the resources used in the case. Officials including members of the State Park, Game Wardens, and San Patricio County deputies were involved in the search. The Refugio County Sheriff lent his search K9 team for the case; the Bee County Sheriff sent their drone. Several volunteers also helped search for the boy.
5. His death is under investigation.
As of Sunday night, an investigation was still underway after Beau’s body was recovered. Park officials closed down the park to visitors.
According to the sheriff, the weather did not appear to have been a factor in Beau’s death. They could not determine how he got into the cove.
According to the CDC, about ten people die from unintentional drowning every day. One in five of these daily drowning victims are children aged 14 or younger.
The CDC offers many tips for preventing drowning. A responsible adult should supervise children while they’re swimming or around water. They should be attentive because drowning can happen quickly and quietly. For children five years old and younger, adults should provide “touch supervision,” or be close enough that they can reach the child at all times. Anyone engaging in swimming activities should have formal swimming lessons beforehand, and they should not engage in these activities alone.
Alison Cerri is a writer who covers astrology, pop culture and relationship topics.