Following his disappearance from a church camp he was attending on Jekyll Island the previous day, the body of the 16-year-old Georgia boy was discovered on Tuesday.

After a nearly 20-hour search involving hundreds of volunteers and numerous local enforcement agencies, Connor Mathis was discovered in the water at the southern edge of the island, according to the Brunswick News.

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According to authorities, Connor had been attending a religious camp on the island and was reported missing after he did not arrive at the camp Monday evening at 6 p.m. as participants gathered after their afternoon activities.

According to a Facebook post from the Camden County Sheriff’s Office, utilizing sonar technology, deputies on a marine patrol boat helping with the search discovered Connor in the waves.

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The Georgia State Patrol, which is in charge of maintaining peace and order on Jekyll Island, received a complaint that he was missing. Overnight, Connor was sought after by the State Patrol, Jekyll Island Fire Department, and other local agencies utilizing infrared camera technology on the ground and from a helicopter.

The Georgia State Patrol and other local, state, and federal officials were assisted in their search for the adolescent by volunteers. The teenager’s cause of death was not immediately clear.

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A friend of the family said Connor was a happy child who was always smiling and who liked to participate in basketball practice with a local team when he could. According to authorities, Connor has high-functioning autism. According to other searchers who spoke with the newspaper, Connor’s autism inspired them to join the effort.

“I have a cousin who has autism,” Erica Johnson, who gave up part of her vacation to join the search, told the newspaper. “I hope anybody would do it for him.”

Connor was a rising 11th grade student at Glynn Academy. The school said it will have counselors available to speak with for the next few days.