Miami Gardens police pulled a 3-year-old boy out of the Snake Creek Canal near Northwest 199th Street on Saturday after he was reported missing from a parked vehicle. Miami-Dade Fire Rescue took the child to a nearby hospital, where officials say he is in stable condition. Authorities told reporters the boy had been left inside the car while an adult briefly stepped away.
How Officers Found the Child
According to WSVN, Miami Gardens officers responded to a missing-child call after the 3-year-old could not be found near the parked vehicle. The station reports that the boy was ultimately discovered in the Snake Creek Canal after his mother located him in the water, and officers then pulled him out before Miami-Dade Fire Rescue transported him to the hospital for treatment.
Where It Happened
The incident unfolded along the Snake Creek Canal near Northwest 199th Street, a drainage corridor and trailside waterway that cuts through northwest Miami-Dade. GeoPlan mapping for Miami Gardens identifies a Snake Creek Canal boat ramp at NW 2nd Avenue just north of NW 199th Street, which matches the general area described by officers at the scene.
Rescue and Condition
Miami Gardens Police carried out the water rescue, and Miami-Dade Fire Rescue handled medical care and transport. Local coverage reports that the child is in stable condition following the incident. WSVN published the first detailed account of the rescue on March 22, 2026.
Safety Reminders
Drowning can happen quickly and quietly, especially for toddlers, and public health guidance stresses constant supervision around water, age-appropriate swim lessons, the use of life jackets in open water, and learning CPR. For more on prevention, see guidance from the CDC and Miami-Dade Fire Rescue.
