A 5-year-old boy with autism was found deceased Friday morning in a retention pond near his Hillsborough County, Florida, apartment complex. The child had wandered away from home and was discovered in waist-deep water approximately 20 to 30 feet from the complex.
Authorities reported that the boy's father last saw him when they were in bed around 5 a.m. By 9 a.m., the boy was missing. A call from the father prompted an immediate search by the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office. The search operation involved over 140 units, including the HCSO Drone Team, Aviation Unit, K-9 Unit, and Dive Team. The child was found shortly after 11 a.m.
This incident is the second time in less than two months that an autistic child has died in a pond at the same apartment complex. Sheriff Chad Chronister stated, “There are no words that can ease the pain of losing a child,” and noted that the Sheriff’s Office grieves with the family. He added that every deputy and detective involved aimed to bring the boy home safely. Chronister described the event as the family’s “worst day.”