Police find body believed to be Lil Jon's son

Police have found a body they believe may be Lil Jon's son, Nathan "DJ Young Slade" Smith.

The Milton Police Department said in a statement Friday that the body was found Friday morning by divers with the Cherokee County Fire Department in a pond near Smith’s home in Milton, Georgia.

Authorities said Smith was last seen Tuesday around 6 a.m. ET after leaving his house on foot without a phone. They said at the time he “may be disoriented and in need of assistance."

Officials are awaiting confirmation from the Fulton County Medical Examiner’s Office. The case remains an open and active investigation, and additional information will be released only after the cause and manner of death are determined and all leads have been reviewed, they said in the statement.

"We extend our deepest condolences to the Smith family during this difficult time," the Police Department said in the statement. "The department respectfully asks the community and members of the media to honor the family’s request for privacy as they grieve and navigate this tragedy."

Lil Jon also released a statement expressing heartbreak over the loss of his son.

"I'm extremely heartbroken for the tragic loss of our son, Nathan Smith," he wrote. "His mother [Nicole Smith] and I are devastated."

"Nathan was the kindest human being you would ever meet. He was immensely caring, thoughtful, polite, passionate, and warmhearted - he loved his family and the friends in his life to the fullest," Jon continued, noting he was "a music producer, an artist and engineer, and graduate of NYU." 

"We loved Nathan with all of our hearts and are incredibly proud of him," he added. "He was loved and appreciated, and in our last times together we’re comforted in knowing that we expressed that very sentiment to him."

Jon also thanked those who prayed and assisted in the search, including law enforcement and emergency personnel. 

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