A visit to a Florida park ended in tragedy after a toddler with autism went missing. Sadly, authorities later discovered the young child dead just a few hours later.
4-year-old Waylon Childs went missing in Central Park near Fleming Avenue in Ormond Beach on Sunday, Nov. 17. According to the Ormond Beach Police Department (OBPD), Waylon went to the park with his father and two siblings when he suddenly vanished. His obviously distraught father ended up calling authorities to come search for the missing toddler.
Sadly, a search and rescue dive team ended up coming across the boy's body around 9 p.m. that night. Authorities don't suspect that the boy was murdered or anything related to homicide. Instead, it appears to be a terrible but tragic accident. Ormond Beach police public information officer Pauline Dulang confirmed that the toddler had autism and was nonverbal.
How the toddler ended up in the water remains under investigation. However, Dulang said that they need "tocome together as a community" to move forward after this tragic incident.
Toddler Dies
"It's just an unfortunate day and a tragic case today," Dulang said. Dulang also confirmed that several agencies assisted in the search for Waylon including Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the Volusia Sheriff's Office, and local law enforcement from neighboring cities.
"We pulled out as many stops as we possibly could," Dulang said at the press conference. "We had eyes in the air, eyes on the ground, and eyes in the water."
Meanwhile, Police Chief Jesse Godfrey thanked all those involved in the search for the missing toddler. They thanked them "for their support and efforts during this search."
"This is a heartbreaking tragedy, and our hearts are with Waylon's family during this unimaginable loss," Godfrey said. He also said that they "remain committed to standing with the family and our community in the days ahead."
As for the family, so far, the toddler's father hasn't spoken out publicly. It's obviously a tragedy, and I'm sure that the family is going through a lot of grief right now.
