Search for autistic boy João Gabriel Ferreira dos Santos intensifies in Araucária, Paraná

João Gabriel Ferreira dos Santos Araucária Paraná missing autistic child search operation

A five‑year‑old non‑verbal autistic child, João Gabriel Ferreira dos Santos, vanished on the morning of 26 July 2024 in the rural area of Campo Redondo, Araucária, Paraná, after leaving his home to use the bathroom.

A joint task‑force of roughly 150 personnel—including the Corpo de Bombeiros Militar do Paraná, Polícia Civil, Polícia Militar, the municipal guard and local volunteers—has been deployed. The operation employs helicopters, thermal‑camera drones, two teams of search dogs, technical diving units, and the Arcanjo 01 and Falcão 08 aircraft to sweep an estimated 3.15 km² of dense vegetation, agricultural fields, tanks and streams.

Searches have continued through the night and into the second day, with a focus on both land and water areas. Despite extensive efforts, João Gabriel has not yet been located.

Entities: Araucária · Brazil · Carlos Eduardo Silva de Oliveira · João Gabriel Ferreira dos Santos · Rio Tarauacá

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how well corroborated each claim is across sources.

[● 5 SOURCES] João Gabriel Ferreira dos Santos, a five‑year‑old non‑verbal autistic boy, disappeared on 26 July 2024 in Araucária, Paraná. (disappearance)
[● 2 SOURCES] Search operations entered their second day, with priority given to aquatic searches. (search timeline)
[● 4 SOURCES] A joint task‑force of about 150 people, including the Corpo de Bombeiros Militar, Polícia Civil, Polícia Militar, the municipal guard and volunteers, was deployed. (search force size and composition)
[● 3 SOURCES] Search resources include helicopters, drones with thermal cameras, two teams of search dogs, technical diving units, and the Arcanjo 01 and Falcão 08 aircraft. (search equipment)
[● 3 SOURCES] The child was last seen after leaving his house to use the bathroom around 10–12 a.m. (time of disappearance)
[● 3 SOURCES] The search has covered roughly 3.15 km² of dense vegetation, agricultural land, tanks and streams. (search area)
[● 5 SOURCES] As of the latest reports, João Gabriel has not been located. (outcome)