PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. — A family in Port St. Lucie is dealing with the tragic death of a 5-year-old boy with autism who was found dead in a neighborhood lake Monday after wandering away from home.
The child, identified by police as Neymir Luka Valere, was last seen about 4:30 p.m. Monday. However, police told WPTV he wasn't reported missing until 8 p.m.
WATCH BELOW: Missing boy's body found in lake
Police then responded to a home in the 5200 block of Northwest Wisk Fern Circle at about 8:08 p.m.
Units, including road patrol, K9, drone pilots, the Marine Unit and Air Unit from the St. Lucie County Sheriff's Office, canvassed the area for the boy, whose body was found in a lake shortly before 11:30 p.m.
Police Chief Leo Niemczyk said there was a misunderstanding about who was watching the boy.
"The mother thought the child was with the older sibling in a room upstairs in the house, and later on, she ends up discovering the other child had left," Niemczyk said.
Police are calling this a tragic accident, and the parents of the 5-year-old will not be facing any charges.
This is the second child to be found dead in a lake in the last three months.
Port St. Lucie police said this particular case is difficult because the child wasn't reported missing for several hours.
Project Livesaver
Last month, WPTV reported that the city's Project Lifesaver safety program, which helps track individuals prone to wandering, will continue operating after receiving new funding.
Project Lifesaver provides tracking devices to individuals who may be at risk of eloping, like those with autism, Alzheimer's disease or dementia. The devices allow law enforcement to locate missing persons using specialized transmitters.
WPTV learned Tuesday that Port St. Lucie police are preparing to roll out a tracking system that allows caregivers and police to monitor a loved one's location using a cellphone app.
Police said their message to the community is to notify them if they are caring for someone with dementia or autism so they can provide the proper services and report a missing endangered person immediately.
