A tragic incident unfolded last week at SENSES Park in Kissimmee, as a 5-year-old boy with autism drowned in a nearby body of water. The Osceola County Sheriff's Office confirmed the event today. The boy had been playing with his family when he went missing. His father, focused on another child at the time, said he only briefly lost sight of the 5-year-old before the disappearance, as reported by WESH.
Deputies were quickly called to the scene on November 13, where they launched a search operation. Utilizing a bloodhound K9, officers could track down to quickly find the direction the child had taken from the park. Despite the rapid response, the child was found in the water and was declared deceased after being rushed to Nemours Children's Hospital, as mentioned in a statement reported by Around Osceola.
In response to such occurrences, the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office promotes the Project Lifesaver program, designed to prevent such tragedies. The program provides enrollees with a personal transmitter device, which can be worn like a smartwatch, allowing for a more targeted approach when searching for missing individuals. Families interested in this program can find more information at the sheriff's official website, as the sheriff's office has encouraged in a recent announcement.
