PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla — The body of a missing three-year-old boy was recovered in a pond after a law enforcement search near East Lake Road in Palm Harbor, according to officials.
Pinellas County Sheriff (PCSO) said they were called to search for a missing three-year-old boy on Sunday around 4:25 p.m. at 3843 Lancaster Court.
PCSO said the missing child was autistic and non-verbal, and the mother and father are hearing impaired. The parents thought the boy was playing with an older brother inside the apartment, but the three-year-old had somehow gotten out of the residence.
"Mom and dad told us they were watching TV. Mom and dad are hearing impaired. He was playing with his brother. He did not hear anything suspicious and then realized he was gone," said Chief Deputy David Danzig with the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office.
Search crews used K9s and a helicopter to search for the child and recovered his body in the pond a short time later, according to PCSO.
Deputy Danzig said the pond was located fairly close to the family's apartment, about three buildings away.
"It looks like from the Ring doorbell camera that he exited the location, caught him on another Ring doorbell camera walking to the south and heading towards the pond," said Chief Danzig.
Chief Danzig said it appeared it was an accidental drowning.
President of the Autism Society of Florida, Stacey Hoaglund, said children with autism are drawn to the water and they're 160 times more likely to drown compared to their neurotypical peers.
"They just wander. They don't really think that mom and dad may be concerned about where they're going. They're very self-directed. They're going to go to what they're interested in and kids with autism are very interested in water," said Hoaglund.
WATCH: Body of missing three-year-old boy recovered after search of pond near East Lake Road in Palm Harbor: PCSO
Hoaglund stresses access to door alarms, swim lessons and CPR classes.
"He can’t go into a pool that’s got 20-30 children in it. It’s way too overwhelming, so, often times our kids need to have a much quieter environment when you’re getting swimming lessons and there’s not a lot of swim instructors that really understand how to teach kids with autism how to swim, so we also do that we train water safety instructors," said Hoaglund.
Hoaglund stresses drowning is silent and may happen within seconds.
"I know some incredible parents who lost their children. You can’t possibly keep your eye on your kid all the time. You have to cook, you have to wash clothes, you have to use the restroom," she said.
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"If there had just been a trooper up there, maybe this whole thing could have been avoided."
A judge in Florida is sharing the story of his son's death in hopes of helping the Florida Highway Patrol trooper shortage.
