Missing 5-year-old found dead in pond near his Waldorf home – NBC4 Washington

A five-year-old autistic boy has died after leaving 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 Sunday morning from his home on St. Paul’s Drive in Waldorf. Maryland State Police divers found his body in a nearby pond just after midnight Monday.

He is the second child to die in this manner in the D.C. area since July.

According to the advocacy group Autism Speaks, 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, as are Miles’ family and all of you. Please keep Miles and his family in your thoughts and prayers, as well as all first responders and everyone who helped,” 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 was come over and pay my respects.”

They didn’t all know him or his family, but they wanted to show their support. Many people helped in the search, which ended so tragically.

“This hits me hard, just because I have a 5-year-old child who is non-verbally autistic,” said Dale Hughes. “And so I wanted to at least show my support, at least help, because if it was about me and my family, I would want the same thing.”

Miles’ grandparents told News4 they wanted to show their appreciation to everyone who searched and showed they cared.

Authorities searched for Miles McMahon for hours

Police say Miles slipped out of his home without his family’s knowledge. He was last seen on 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 around 11 a.m., established a perimeter and began focusing on nearby waters. The sheriff’s office said searchers used special tracking apps, trained dogs, drones and a police helicopter. Neighbors were asked to search for the little boy near their homes and watch security footage.

Hours passed without anyone finding him, and the sheriff’s office asked people to keep their outside lights on 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. Search forces had been focused on the pond throughout the day, but a diving team that had been on the scene earlier had not found it, authorities said.

Miles is the second autistic child to die in a D.C.-area pond since July. In August, a Montgomery County police officer was hailed as a hero after he helped save the life of an autistic child.

According to the National Autism Association, children with autism are 160 times more likely to die from drowning than children in general.

Here are tips from Autism Speaks to help you keep your loved ones safe around the water:

• Emphasize the dangers of water
• Take precautions to prevent hiking
• Sign up for swimming lessons

Montgomery and Fairfax counties have aquatics programs geared toward people with disabilities.