Deltona, FL – A Volusia County Sheriff’s Office deputy is being credited with saving a missing 5-year-old boy who was found in a pond Tuesday night after an urgent community search.
According to the Volusia Sheriff’s Office, deputies were called to a home on Valmont Lane in Deltona around 7:30 p.m. Tuesday after the child’s father reported his son had escaped through a second-story door, triggering an alarm. The family immediately began searching and called 911 for help.
Deputies and neighbors scoured the area with no success at first. Knowing the child had autism and a strong attraction to water, deputies began checking ponds near the neighborhood. Deputy Wes Brough and others responded to a pond behind Toluca Court, where around 7:48 p.m., Brough heard a voice and saw the boy clinging to a log in the water.
Brough jumped into the pond, pulled the child to shore, and ensured he received medical evaluation before reuniting him with his family. The boy was unharmed.
Officials noted the family had already installed alarms and safety measures at home. The Sheriff’s Office added that all deputies, including Brough, have undergone Autism Awareness Training to better respond to similar emergencies.
This article was produced by a journalist and may include AI-assisted input. All content is reviewed for accuracy and fairness.
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