BRANDYWINE, Md. — The Charles County Sheriff's Office confirmed they recovered the body of a 10-year-old girl with autism who went missing Saturday.
Maddelynn Wallace was last seen alive near her home in the 3900 block of Turner Road in the Malcolm area of Brandywine.
The Charles County Sheriff's Office launched a 16-hour search before making a grave discovery Sunday afternoon.
Evidence led investigators to a heavily wooded area with numerous quarries, about a mile away from where Maddelynn was last seen.
Dive crews later located a body in a 25-foot deep quarry filled with water.
The body was taken to the Medical Examiner, who late Monday positively identified Maddelynn. Her cause of death was ruled a drowning.
"Sheriff Troy Berry and the men and women of the Charles County Sheriff's Office are heartbroken to share the update that a body was recovered from a deep, water-filled quarry a short time ago in the area that Maddelynn went missing," the Sheriff's Office posted on Facebook. "Our deepest condolences and heartfelt prayers are with Maddelynn's family. Please pray for Maddelynn's family during this unthinkable tragedy."
A GoFundMe has been started to help pay for funeral expenses.
