Richmond, Texas – An AMBER Alert has been issued for 8-year-old Ryan Akabusi, who is missing from the Lakemont Terrace subdivision near the Westpark Tollway and South Mason Road in Richmond, Texas. Ryan, who is autistic and non-verbal, was last seen on Saturday morning, August 24, 2024, around 5:00 a.m.
Ryan, who stands approximately 5 feet tall and weighs about 75 pounds, was last seen wearing a lilac t-shirt with an iguana design. He has black hair and brown eyes. The initial sighting at 4:56 a.m. showed Ryan leaving his home on Kendall Lake Drive wearing shoes, but by 5:37 a.m., a neighborhood camera captured him running barefoot.
Search efforts are intensifying as Texas EquuSearch, K-9 units, helicopters, drones, and dive teams are all actively involved. Authorities are particularly concerned as many autistic children are drawn to water, and nearby bodies of water, including retention ponds and lakes, are being closely monitored.
The Fort Bend County Sheriff’s Office is leading the search and urges anyone with information on Ryan’s whereabouts to contact them immediately at 281-341-4665, option 1.
The Arkansas Justice Project shared on Facebook, “Please use your platforms to share. Ryan Akabusi was last seen Saturday morning around 5:00 a.m. August 24, 2024 on Kendall Lake Drive in the Lakemont neighborhood of Richmond, Texas.”
The community remains hopeful and vigilant as the search continues.