OSCEOLA COUNTY, Fla. – A 5-year-old autistic child recently drowned after walking away from an Osceola County playground that was specifically designed for “children on the autism spectrum,” according to a news release.
Deputies said that Arturo Angarita was with his father and another sibling at SENSES Park located at 2296 Camelia Drive, Kissimmee, on Nov. 13.
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According to the release, the father of the boy told officials that while he was tending to his younger child, he briefly lost sight of Angarita.
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Osceola County said that SENSES Park is an “all-Inclusive Playground” that caters to children on the spectrum.
According to the release, multiple units from the sheriff’s office patrol, aviation, K9, and criminal investigations divisions responded to the area to look for the child.
Deputies said that a bloodhound K9 helped track the direction the child went after walking away from the park.
The boy was found in a nearby body of water, according to the release. Deputies entered the water and began life saving measures, but Angarita was pronounced dead a short time later after being transported to Nemours Children Hospital.
The sheriff’s office reminded residents about their Project Lifesaver program, which is designed to “help individuals affected with a cognitive disorder that may lead to elopement or wandering” according to its website.
Enrollees in the program wear a small personal transmitter around the wrist or ankle that emits an individualized tracking signal. If the person wearing the transmitter goes missing, the caregiver can notify the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office, and trained search specialists respond to the wanderer’s area.
You can learn more about the program here.
Experts say children with autism are drawn to water, and their challenges with communication and sensory processing can make these environments especially hazardous.
You can read about how Central Florida counties are taking steps to address these risks here.
In addition, a GoFundMe has been set up by Arturo Angarita’s family. It can be found by clicking here.
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