HARRIS COUNTY, Texas – Editor’s note: Initial information from law enforcement identified the child as five-years old. Family members say he was still four-years old. The story has been updated to correct the child’s age.
A four-year old boy was found dead in a retention pond after being reported missing Sunday in the Cypress area.
The Harris County Sheriff’s Office said the child, who reportedly has autism, was reported missing from the 20500 block of Keegans Ledge Lane. This is in the Pine Creek at Canyon Lakes West subdivision.
According to Sgt. Michael Ritchie with the Harris County Sheriff’s Office, and deputies with the Harris County Pct. 5 Constable’s Office got the call about the missing boy around 2 p.m.
As deputies were responding, they drove past a park where they were flagged down by people.
“From what we understand, the family had been looking for him and had come over to the park and the family found the child in the water,” Ritchie said.
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The boy was pulled from the water and life-saving measures were attempted. EMS was also called, but the child was pronounced dead at the scene.
Right now, Ritchie says investigators are trying to pinpoint exactly what time the boy got out of the house and made his way to the park and the pond. Investigators are reviewing video from at least two homes to try and figure out when it happened.
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Ritchie later said they were able to review video from a Ring doorbell camera at the home. He said the video showed the child outside the home at 9 a.m. They are now trying to piece together when the boy made his way to the pond between the time he was seen outside and the time authorities got the call around 2 p.m.
“From what we understand, the child did live a good distance away, possible a quarter to a third of a mile away from the park, which again is a long way to go for a five-year old,” Ritchie said.
Heartbreaking. Pct 5 deputies responded to the 20500 blk of Keegans Ledge Ln. A 5-year-old child with Autism was reported missing. Shortly after arriving on scene, units discovered the child in a nearby retention pond. The child was confirmed deceased on-scene. #HouNews pic.twitter.com/D3Vt1QCq6w
— Ed Gonzalez (@SheriffEd_HCSO) September 22, 2024
Ritchie said both the boy’s parents were at home with four or five other children when the call came in. Two of those children are said to have autism. While they are still talking to family members and witnesses, Ritchie doesn’t foresee any charges at this time.
“At this time, I don’t foresee that, I just see this as a very unfortunate accident, but again it is still under investigation,” he said.
The child’s grandfather said his birthday was this upcoming Thursday and he was turning five-years old.
A neighbor says this tragedy hits close to home for him. Ken Bayless says his son is diagnosed with autism and he also has a five-year old grandson.
“The true thing about autism is like you want your child to have a normal life, but at the same time, you kind of got to be hands on with them a lot. So it’s a really big challenge as a parent,” he said. “My heart goes out to the family.”