JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Detectives are investigating the circumstances surrounding the drowning of a 2-year-old girl, who was found unresponsive in a pond Friday evening, according to the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office.
Lt. Mike Silcox, commanding officer of the JSO Homicide Unit, said police were called to Avenger Lane at about 5:42 p.m. in reference to a report of a missing child. He said units arrived at 5:48 p.m., requesting additional units including K-9, a drone unit, the Dive Team and the Missing Persons Unit.
Home security footage showed a direction that the child travelled, Silcox said, and a JSO bloodhound obtained the child’s scent, tracking it to a pond in the neighborhood.
Silcox said officers removed the child from the pond at 6:21 p.m. and they began life-saving measures. The child was rushed to a hospital where staff confirmed the child’s death.
Homicide detectives were on scene conducting their initial investigation, trying to locate additional witnesses. The Department of Children and Families will conduct an independent investigation.
It’s unclear how long the child had been in the pond.