Moment frantic hunt for missing autistic boy, 5, comes to happy ending in Florida pond
The frantic search for a missing autistic boy who nearly drowned in a Florida pond ended well thanks to a heroic officer.
The 5-year-old escaped from his Deltona home around 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, police said, triggering an alarm that alerted his parents he was no longer in the house.
They immediately began searching for the boy when neighbors called 911. Officers from the Volusia Sheriff’s Office searched the immediate area, focusing on bodies of water because the child was drawn to water. civil servants said.
Nearly 20 minutes into the search, the boy was found in a pond a few blocks from his home by Officer Wes Brough. He heard a voice and then saw the boy holding a log.
The officer jumped into the pond to grab the child. Video footage shows Brough holding the boy.
The photo shows Officer Wes Brough rescuing the boy from the pond
The sheriff jumps into the pond and runs to the young man
Authorities said the boy medically cleared and returned to his family.
The boy’s family told police they took several steps to secure the home, including an alarm on the door.
Brough has undergone autism awareness training to prepare herself for various calls involving people with autism, including missing children, police said.
“Well done to everyone involved in this conversation,” the officials said.