An early morning discovery in Miramar yesterday has left the Riviera Isles community grappling with a tragic loss. A two-year-old child, previously reported missing on Tuesday, was found dead in a local lake, Local10 reported. The toddler had vanished near Southwest 53rd Street and 156th Avenue, prompting a large-scale search effort.
Throughout the search, residents and law enforcement alike banded together to try to rapidly locate the missing child. "Residents mobilized quickly using flashlights, walking the community, and providing home surveillance footage," Janice McIntosh, a spokeswoman for the Miramar Police Department, told Local10. Not only did local inhabitants step up, but officers from the Broward County Sheriff's Office and Pembroke Pines police department also joined the efforts, deploying police dogs and even aerial support in a bid to find the child.
The extensive search included detectives and officers from the Miramar Police Department and those of partner agencies, who responded after the initial report of the missing toddler. Sadly, mere hours later, authorities found the body of the child in a nearby lake, CBS News Miami noted. "Their swift action and willingness to help reflect the strength and unity of our Miramar community," the Miramar Police Department said.
The Miramar Police Department additionally thanked the Broward Sheriff's Office and the Pembroke Pines Police Department for their aid, which included not just K-9 units, but also aviation and marine resources, which were pivotal to the search operation. An ongoing investigation into the circumstances surrounding the child's death is underway, and authorities are urging anyone with additional information or surveillance footage to contact the Miramar Police Department's non-emergency line, as stated in a CBS News Miami release.
