A 5-year-old boy with autism was found dead in a retention pond at Northgreen at Carrollwood apartment complex in Hillsborough County on Friday.
The father last saw his son when they both woke up around 5 a.m. in the bed they shared, and when the father woke up again around 9 a.m., his son was missing and the screen in the area outside the home had been pushed out.
The child’s father called 911 around 9:30 a.m. after waking up and finding his son missing from the bed they shared.
More than 140 personnel from the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office responded to the scene, including aviation units, drones, K9 handlers, and dive teams.
A bloodhound tracked the child quickly. A bloodhound deployed for search and rescue tracked a scent to a retention pond located about 30 feet behind the apartment building.
“The dive team member entered the water, entered into about 5 feet or about waist-high water, felt what he believed to be a 5-year-old child,” Chronister said.
“This is a family’s worst day,” Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister said.
The child had recently reached a milestone. 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.
Sheriff Chad Chronister urged parents to seek swim lessons, noting this is the second child drowning at the complex in two months.
The tragedy underscores a dangerous pattern at the location. Sheriff Chronister noted that this marks the second time in less than two months that a five-year-old autistic child has drowned in a retention pond at this specific apartment complex.
The grandmother, who lives with the family, shared a message through authorities. “Tell people not to ever avoid getting swim lessons,” she said.
The child’s grandmother — who lives with them and works as an elementary school teacher — helped organize the search by being called to check on the boy.
“Do not avoid swim lessons,” Chronister urged. “Anyone out there, regardless of age, special needs, get them swim lessons.”
The authorities highlighted the risks faced by children with autism. “We know scientifically proven that autistic children are prone and attracted to bodies of water,” Chronister stated.
The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office said the child was non-verbal and does not respond to his name.
In the viral moment Friday morning, The child was last seen wearing a beige Spider-Man shirt, a diaper, and no pants. HCSO said they believe he wandered away from his home Friday morning and may have a broken electronic device with him.
The father searched the apartment immediately after waking. The father searched the apartment, then went outside and found that the screen on a screened-in patio area had been broken and pushed open.
“There are no words that can ease the pain of losing a child. Today, our entire Sheriff’s Office family grieves alongside this family. Every deputy and detective who responded did so with the goal to bring this little boy home safely,” Sheriff Chad Chronister said.
Authorities addressed whether protective measures exist. When asked about fencing requirements around retention ponds, the spokesperson said there are no laws currently in place governing retention ponds, though statutes do exist for swimming pools.
National data reflects the urgency of water safety. Among missing children and young adults on the autism spectrum who were recovered deceased in 2025, 87% died from accidental drowning.
In 2024, 82 children on the autism spectrum died in the United States after wandering away from safe environments, the highest single-year death toll recorded since tracking began in 2004.
Florida specifically faces a crisis. According to the organization, Florida is the first in the country, and Hillsborough County is first in the state, for children under 4 years old dying due to drowning.
The family’s message to other parents remains clear. The spokesperson added that autistic children are known to be attracted to bodies of water and urged parents and caregivers to enroll children in swim lessons regardless of age or special needs.