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Missing Florida 7-year-old found dead; 3rd incident in 3 weeks

After going missing from his home in Deltona on Monday evening, the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office has confirmed 7-year-old Charlie Newton was found dead on Tuesday.Just after 10 a.m., VCSO announced that the boy, who is non-verbal and has autism, was recovered from a body of water.According to officials, the boy wandered away from his home around 8 p.m. Monday, and was last seen running north on Stillwater Avenue.In a news conference on Tuesday, Sheriff Mike Chitwood said a neighbor called to report a body in a nearby lake. He said 140 law enforcement officers were helping in the search along with two helicopters, three K9s, and drones. “We are saddened to report that we have recovered Charlie’s body from the water. This is the tragic outcome we all worked so hard hoping would not come to pass. We appreciate all the shares, the community support and the assistance from all our partner agencies in this effort,” VCSO said in a statement. Similar incidents Charlie’s death comes just after two other children went missing in Central Florida and were later found dead.In Ormond Beach, 4-year-old Waylon Childs wandered away from his father at the park and was later found dead in a nearby body of water.In Kissimmee, 5-year-old Arturo Angarita left his family while they were at the park and was later rescued by paramedics from a water-filled drainage ditch. The young boy was pronounced dead at the hospital.>> MORE: Father warns parents after 5-year-old son’s drowning in Kissimmee park: ‘It shouldn’t have happenedBoth children had autism, officials said, and the close succession and similar manner of their deaths raised concern across Central Florida.Jennifer Cicia with the University of Central Florida Center for Autism and Related Disabilities told parents that if their child goes missing, they need to call 911 immediately.“We don’t want you to look for 10 or 15 minutes first, because the minutes are precious,” she said. “We want you to immediately call 911 while you’re searching so that you can have a bigger search taking place.”Additionally, Cicia also recommends parents place tracking devices on children with autism, much like those offered for free through the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office called “Project Lifesaver.”

After going missing from his home in Deltona on Monday evening, the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office has confirmed 7-year-old Charlie Newton was found dead on Tuesday.

Just after 10 a.m., VCSO announced that the boy, who is non-verbal and has autism, was recovered from a body of water.

According to officials, the boy wandered away from his home around 8 p.m. Monday, and was last seen running north on Stillwater Avenue.

In a news conference on Tuesday, Sheriff Mike Chitwood said a neighbor called to report a body in a nearby lake.

He said 140 law enforcement officers were helping in the search along with two helicopters, three K9s, and drones.

“We are saddened to report that we have recovered Charlie’s body from the water. This is the tragic outcome we all worked so hard hoping would not come to pass. We appreciate all the shares, the community support and the assistance from all our partner agencies in this effort,” VCSO said in a statement.

Similar incidents

Charlie’s death comes just after two other children went missing in Central Florida and were later found dead.

In Ormond Beach, 4-year-old Waylon Childs wandered away from his father at the park and was later found dead in a nearby body of water.

In Kissimmee, 5-year-old Arturo Angarita left his family while they were at the park and was later rescued by paramedics from a water-filled drainage ditch. The young boy was pronounced dead at the hospital.

>> MORE: Father warns parents after 5-year-old son’s drowning in Kissimmee park: ‘It shouldn’t have happened

Both children had autism, officials said, and the close succession and similar manner of their deaths raised concern across Central Florida.

Jennifer Cicia with the University of Central Florida Center for Autism and Related Disabilities told parents that if their child goes missing, they need to call 911 immediately.

“We don’t want you to look for 10 or 15 minutes first, because the minutes are precious,” she said. “We want you to immediately call 911 while you’re searching so that you can have a bigger search taking place.”

Additionally, Cicia also recommends parents place tracking devices on children with autism, much like those offered for free through the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office called “Project Lifesaver.”


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