Pinellas County toddler found dead in pond after wandering off: deputies
PALM HARBOR, Fla. (WFLA) — A 3-year-old boy was found dead in a pond Sunday evening after wandering away from his family's apartment complex in Pinellas County, the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office reported.
According to Chief Deputy David Danzig, at approximately 4:25 p.m., a man called 911 from his home on Lancaster Court to report that he had not seen his son for about an hour.
The man told authorities that he believed the child had left the apartment on foot.
Deputies were able to obtain Ring doorbell video showing the child walking out of the apartment and heading south through the complex.
The sheriff's office deployed helicopters and bloodhounds to search the area and a community alert was also issued to help locate the missing child.
According to Chief Deputy Danzig, the boy's body was found in a pond located close to the apartment.
A sheriff's office dive team recovered the body, and authorities believe the child to have drowned.
According to the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office, the boy was autistic and nonverbal. His parents, who are hearing impaired, were home at the time and watching television when he wandered off.
'It's a tragic accident. But I wish I had better news tonight to share with you all. Anytime a child loses their life under circumstances like this, it's a terrible night for everybody up here, 'Deputy Danzig said.
A GoFundMe has been set up to help the young boys family.
This is an ongoing investigation.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
34 minutes ago
- Yahoo
YPD cites juvenile for running, finds gun, after investigation into large crowd and gunfire
YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WKBN) — City police late Wednesday cited a juvenile who ran from officers who were called to a South Side street for a large crowd and gunfire, and they also found a handgun. Police were called at about 11:10 p.m. to the 3000 block of Idlewood Avenue for a report of a large fight and gunfire, and when officers showed up, several cars began leaving the area, and people were running. Police went to check behind a nearby home for someone who was seen running away and in a wooded area found a loaded 9mm handgun in a Sponge Bob backpack, reports said. The gun had a laser light attached, and the serial number was scratched off, reports said. One of the people who ran away was found by police in the 400 block of West Boston Avenue. Reports said he told officers he ran because he was scared. Because the Mahoning County Juvenile Justice Center refused to take him, the boy was cited for obstructing official business and released to a relative. No one was injured by the gunfire. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
34 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Woman charged in double crash that killed Cortland man
WARREN, Ohio (WKBN) — A Trumbull County grand jury has returned an indictment against a Warren woman in connection with a fatal crash that happened in Bazetta Township. Britini Ulam, 35, is charged with aggravated vehicular homicide and OVI in connection with the November 3 crash on state Route 46 that killed Frank Walter, 31, of Cortland. According to the Ohio State Highway Patrol, Ulam was behind the wheel of a 2006 Nissan Xterra with Walter as a passenger when she veered off the road, struck a culvert, overturned and went down an embankment. Both Ulam and Walter were thrown from the SUV in the crash. A second crash happened before first responders could arrive on the scene, and a driver struck Walter in the southbound lane of state Route 46. Walter was pronounced dead at the scene. Ulam suffered serious injuries. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Pulaski County man arrested in 2008 child sexual abuse case
PULASKI COUNTY, Mo. — A man from Crocker, Missouri, was arrested after being accused of sexually abusing a child sometime between 2008 and 2009 when he was in kindergarten. The suspect, Daniel Gaines, was charged with first-degree statutory sodomy with a child who was less than 14 years old. His bond is set at $250,000, cash or surety only. According to online court documents, in April 2013, charges were initially filed against Gaines in an investigation into the alleged child abuse, but the prosecutor dismissed the case around January 2015 after the venue was changed to Phelps County. In November 2024, Gaines was being investigated for allegedly uploading and distributing child pornography on the messaging app KIK in June. This investigation revealed conversations Gaines had with another user where he discussed sexually assaulting a child. One message read, 'At 18, I was babysitting for some people who had two 2 yo sons from prior relationships…they decided they weren't going to pay me the way they promised…so I took my payment out on the 2 yo boys.' Camden County area damage left behind after Tuesday night storms The detective contacted Gaines at his residence on June 2, 2025. Gaines told the detective that the content in his KIK conversations was all fantasy and not based on truth. He claimed he only collected child pornography and took part in perverse conversations to report users on Telegram and KIK. However, court documents state that Gaines did not provide an example of him reporting said content. The detective then contacted the victim, who detailed the sexual abuse. The victim said that sometime in 2008 or 2009, when he was five years old, Gaines sexually assaulted him on two separate occasions at a mobile home in Crocker. The victim claimed he felt the system failed him since the initial case was dropped by the prosecuting attorney without just cause, court records state, and he wants Gaines to be held accountable. The probable cause statement notes that Gaines is currently homeless and has been accused of sexually assaulting family members. Gaines' next court appearance is a counsel status hearing scheduled for June 11. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
