HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla. - A search for a missing boy ended in tragedy when emergency crews found a 5-year-old boy dead in a retention pond at Northgreen at Carrollwood apartment complex, according to the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office.
Carrollwood Apartment Pond Search
What we know:
A frantic father contacted the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office around 9:30 a.m. to report his missing son. The father had previously woken up to offer the child something to drink while they were sharing a bed.
After the child refused, both went back to sleep. Deputies say when the father woke up later, the child was gone and a screened-in area had been broken and pushed open.
The father called the child's grandmother, a school teacher who lives with them, to check if the boy was with her. HCSO said after roughly 30 minutes of searching between 9 a.m. and 9:30 a.m., he called law enforcement.
140 deputies responded to the home, as well as aviation units, drones, K9 units, bloodhounds and a dive team. Sheriff Chronister said a search dog repeatedly focused on a 30-foot retention pond located directly behind the apartment complex.
Dive team members began searching the pond immediately. A team member waded into waist-deep water about 5 feet deep and felt the boy, according to HCSO.
The sheriff said the child had just turned 5 years old and was recently accepted into elementary school based on his learning abilities and style. Officials stated this marks the second child who has drowned at this same apartment complex in less than two months.
Sheriff Warns Parent Community
What they're saying:
Sheriff Chad Chronister emphasized the critical importance of water safety for all young children following the tragic recovery. He specifically highlighted risks facing children with special needs. He urged families not to delay water safety education.
"Do not avoid swim lessons," Chronister urged. "Anyone out there, regardless of age, special needs, get them swim lessons."
Hillsborough Water Safety Investigation
What we don't know:
Authorities have not released the name of the child.
The Source: The information in this story was gathered from Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister, who held a news briefing regarding the search and recovery effort.