A Volusia County Sheriff’s Office deputy recently came to the rescue of a missing 5-year-old boy with autism who had wandered into a pond near his family’s home.
At around 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, August 6, VCSO deputies responded to a home located on Valmont Lane in Deltona after a 911 caller reported that a child was missing. Upon arrival, the boy’s father told deputies that his five-year-old son had escaped the residence through a second-story door, which had set off an alarm.
The boy’s family advised that they immediately began searching for him and asked neighbors for help.
The sheriff’s office stated that the deputies searched the interior of the home, as well as the immediate area surrounding the property, with no luck. However, the deputies were informed that the boy liked water, and the deputies began checking bodies of water located near the neighborhood.
VCSO Deputy Wes Brough was joined by other deputies as he headed towards a pond located a few blocks away. At around 7:48 p.m., he heard a voice coming from the water, and he spotted the boy who was hanging onto a log, according to the sheriff’s office.
After quickly setting down his body camera, Deputy Brough jumped into the pond, reached the boy, and carried him to dry land. The boy was soon medically cleared, and he was returned to his family.
“It was confirmed the family had taken several measures to secure the house, including the alarm on the door that immediately alerted them the boy had gone missing,” stated the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office on social media.
VCSO added that Deputy Brough has received Autism Awareness Training to help prepare for a wide variety of calls involving individuals with autism, including missing children.
The sheriff’s office concluded the social media post by stating, “Great job to all involved on this call!”