The body of a young boy who went missing from a South Carolina elementary school has been found in a body of water just hours after he disappeared. 

Lionel Ramirez Cervantes, 8, had ran off from school officials at Bell's Crossing Elementary School in Simpsonville on Thursday morning. 

Cervantes, who according to the Greenville County Sheriff's Office was autistic and somewhat nonverbal, was last near the school's playground. 

Staff had chased after the youngster but he got over a fence and manage to disappear before they could catch up with him. 

Following the disappearance, authorities scoured the local area before a dive team discovered his body just a short distance from the school in a pond. 

Authorities released a surveillance photo of Cervantes to help those looking for him taken just this morning, showing the clothes he was wearing. 

In a post to social media, the local sheriff's office announced that they had found his body.

They said: 'The GCSO is heartbroken to report that 8-year-old Lionel Ramirez Cervantes, who ran off from Bells Crossing Elementary School, has been located in a body of water off Lenox Lake Drive, a short distance from the school.

'Lionel reportedly left out of the school and was last seen near the playground around 11:10am. 

'Deputies responded to initiate search and rescue efforts and conducted those the entire day. 

'Shortly after 3:00pm Lionel’s body was found by dive team members in a body off water off Lenox Lake Drive.'

Sheriff Hobart Lewis said at a press conference: 'This is truly a terrible situation to be quite honest. At some point, we don't know how or why, he wound up in that pond. 

'There are a lot of broken hearts in the school and this community today, we want to thank the community who came out to search for this young man.'

W. Burke Royster, Greenville County Schools Superintendent, added: 'Words are just not sufficient to describe this tragedy.

'Our hearts and our prayers are with this family, this community, with this school community.'

Since it was announced that the youngster had passed away, social media users offered prayers for family.

One person posted: 'So heartbreaking for everyone involved. Prayers for his family and the school.'

Another added: 'This just breaks my heart! Praying for this family and everyone involved.'