POLK COUNTY, Fla. – A terrifying ordeal for a family visiting from the United Kingdom ended in relief Friday morning after a massive search effort located a missing 7-year-old boy safe along the shoreline of Lake Marion.
The incident unfolded just after 10 a.m. near Lake Marion Creek Road and Pine Street. According to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office (PCSO), the child—who is non-verbal and has autism—was playing in the backyard of a residence when he slipped out through an unlocked gate.
Deputies say the boy and his family were visiting from London, leaving the child completely unfamiliar with the unfamiliar and potentially dangerous terrain.
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Deputies immediately swarmed the area, deploying K-9 teams, drones, and the Aviation Unit to support the ground search. Authorities also issued a reverse 9-1-1 call to alert nearby residents.
A breakthrough came when a neighbor reported spotting the child walking west toward the water, less than a mile from where the family was staying. Approximately one hour into the search, the PCSO Aviation Unit and a local resident assisting in the effort spotted the boy standing at the water’s edge of Lake Marion.
Deputies rushed through the woods to the shoreline and secured the child. He was found uninjured and has been safely reunited with his family.
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