A Volusia County, Florida, Sheriff’s deputy located and rescued a missing child from a pond Tuesday evening in Deltona.
Florida Deputy Rescues Lost Autistic Child from Pond
Deputies searched the house but soon realized the boy was gone. Because the deputies had been trained in autism awareness and knew that autistic children are attracted to bodies of water, they began searching a pond a few blocks away.

Deputy Wes Brough of the Volusia County (Florida) Sheriff's Office rescues a child from a local pond.
Volusia County SO
Deputy Wes Brough and other deputies responded to the report of a missing autistic child around 7:30 p.m.
The boy's father told deputies his 5-year-old autistic son escaped the house through a second-story door, which set off an alarm. The family immediately began looking, asked neighbors for help, and called 911.
Deputies searched the house but soon realized the boy was gone. Because the deputies had been trained in autism awareness and knew that autistic children are attracted to bodies of water, they began searching a pond a few blocks away.
“Around 7:48 p.m., Deputy Brough heard a voice and spotted the boy out in the water, hanging onto a log. Deputy Brough jumped into the pond and carried the boy to dry land, where he was medically cleared and returned to his family,” the sheriff’s office said in a Facebook statement.
All Volusia County Sheriff’s deputies receive autism awareness training.
More Patrol

Colorado State Patrol Releases 2025 Struck-By Analysis
The Colorado State Patrol, after analyzing its 2025 struck-by incidents, identified one area for improvement: using traffic cones to provide advanced warning before the cruiser's location. Here is the agency’s final data.
Read More →
Streamlight Names 144th Marketing Group Law Enforcement Sales Rep Agency of the Year
Streamlight has recognized the 144th Marketing Group as its 2025 Sales Rep Agency of the Year Award for the Law Enforcement market.
Read More →
Streamlight Names 144th Marketing Group Law Enforcement Sales Rep Agency of the Year
Streamlight has recognized the 144th Marketing Group as its 2025 Sales Rep Agency of the Year Award for the Law Enforcement market.
Read More →
The Mission After the Moment
The mission of the Jorge Pastore Foundation is to support first responders through essential training, stronger community engagement, and mental wellness resources, all accessible and funded through donations, sponsorships, and foundation-led fundraising. It works closely with Team Wendy in the discussions about developing better protective gear for officers.
Read More →
Built for Patrol: How One Police Chief Fixed Communication, Boosted Visibility, and Changed the Culture
Patrol work hasn’t changed—but the expectations on officers have. See how one police chief helped officers get the right information at the right time, improve patrol visibility, and strengthen trust without adding complexity or surveillance. This real-world story shows how patrol-driven technology can make the job safer, smarter, and more effective—starting on day one.
Read More →
Safariland Solis Rethinks Concealable Duty
What if Level I retention didn’t require a full duty rig? Safariland’s Solis delivers trusted ALS security in a streamlined OWB platform built for administrative and plainclothes professionals who need protection without the bulk.
Read More →
K-9s Play a Critical Role in Finding Missing Persons
Real-world scenarios show that a tracking canine can detect and follow a human track several hours after it was made.
Read More →
Garmont Tactical’s LE Boot Lineup
In this video, we get a look at the latest law enforcement boots from Garmont Tactical, both for men and women. Kyle Ferdyn, sales manager, showcases four of the latest boots.
Read More →
Avon Protection Launches EXOSKIN-S2 High-Performance CBRN Protective Suit
With the commercial availability of Avon Protection’s EXOSKIN-S2, users now have increased options for their protective suit requirements across the spectrum of CBRN threat environments.
Read More →
Versaterm Acquires Aloft to Unlock a New Era of Drones for Public Safety
Versaterm has acquired Aloft, an FAA-approved Unmanned Service Supplier (USS) that specializes in real-time airspace intelligence and flight authorizations.
Read More →