A 5-year-old autistic boy has died after wandering away from his home in Charles County, Maryland.
Rescuers searched for the little boy for hours before finding his body in a nearby pond.
Miles McMahon, who was nonverbal, went missing from his home along St. Paul's Drive in Waldorf on Sunday morning. Maryland State Police divers found his body in a nearby pond just after midnight Monday.
He's the second child to die this way in the D.C. area since July.
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Advocacy organization Autism Speaks says drowning is the leading cause of death among autistic people who wander. Autistic children and adults are often drawn to water, the group said.
“We are heartbroken along with Miles’ family and all of you. Please keep Miles and his family in your thoughts and prayers as well as all first responders and all of those who assisted,” the Charles County Sheriff’s Office said.
Neighbors placed flowers, balloons and teddy bears near the pond where he was found.
Ashley Ulrich's daughter went to elementary school with Miles.
"I tossed and turned last night, just praying for a better outcome," Ulrich said. "But when I saw the news, around 1 o'clock this morning, the least I could do is come pay my respects."
They didn't all know him or his family but wanted to show their support. Many had helped in the search that had such a tragic end.
"It hits close to home for me, just simply because I have a 5-year-old child that's nonverbal autistic," Dale Hughes said. "And so I wanted to at least show my support, at least help out, because if it was me and my family, I would want the same thing."
Miles' grandparents told News4 they wanted to express their appreciation to everyone who searched and showed they care.
Authorities searched for Miles McMahon for hours
Police say Miles slipped out of his house without his family's knowledge. He was last seen on home security video leaving his home and skipping in his front yard while wearing a red T-shirt and no pants or shoes, the Charles County Sheriff’s Office said.
Family members called 911 minutes later, but he was gone.
Authorities arrived about 11 a.m., set up a perimeter and started focusing on nearby bodies of water. The sheriff’s office said searchers used specialized tracking apps, trained dogs, drones and a police helicopter. Neighbors were asked to look for the little boy around their homes and look at security footage.
Hours passed without anyone finding him, and the sheriff’s office asked people to keep on their outdoor lights to help with the search.
The Maryland State Police dive team found Miles in a pond near his home, the Charles County Sheriff’s Office said shortly after midnight. Searchers had focused their efforts around the pond throughout the day, but a dive team that went in earlier hadn't found him, authorities said.
Miles is the second autistic child to die in a pond in the D.C. area since July. In August, a Montgomery County police officer was hailed a hero after helping save the life of a child with autism.
According to the National Autism Association, children with autism are 160 times more likely to die from drowning than the general population of children.
Here are tips from Autism Speaks to help keep your loved ones safe around water:
- Emphasize the dangers of water
- Take precautions to prevent wandering
- Sign up for swim lessons
Montgomery and Fairfax counties both have aquatics programs geared toward people with disabilities.
