Missing child found in pond, hospitalized in critical condition
PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. — An 18-month-old boy is in critical condition Thursday after the child was found in a pond, according to Port St. Lucie police.
In a statement posted to social media, officers responded to the 1200 block of Southwest Bellevue Avenue after a report of a missing child.
Police said the boy’s grandmother was watching him and believed another child in the house may have opened a door. The boy’s father was at work and the mother had gone for a walk.
PSLPD Investigating a Drowning of an 18-Month Old
Officers responded to the 1200 block of SW Bellevue Ave. in response to a report of an 18-month old missing from a home.
The child was located in a pond adjacent to the home.
CPR was initiated by officers and… pic.twitter.com/2n5vUPuV0g
— Port St. Lucie PD (@PSLPolice) February 15, 2024
Police said the child was later located in a pond near the home.
“The child didn’t have a pulse and wasn’t breathing at the time,” Port St. Lucie Police Assistant Chief Leo Niemczyk said.
CPR was initiated by officers and St. Lucie County Fire District rescue personnel. The child was taken to Cleveland Clinic Tradition Hospital in stable but critical condition. The boy will be airlifted to St. Mary’s Medical Center in West Palm Beach.
WPTV
Port St. Lucie Police Assistant Chief Leo Niemczyk discusses the investigation into a child found in a pond on Feb. 15, 2024.
“We’re just praying for this young boy and hoping we have a happy ending,” Niemczyk said.
The child is the youngest of three.
