GAINES, Mich. — A 3-year-old boy has died after drowning in a pond Sunday afternoon, says the Kent County Sheriff's Office.
The incident happened around 2:30 p.m. when deputies responded to a call from the parents that their son had gone missing at Woodfield Apartments in Gaines Township.
Sgt. Eric Brunner says they received no follow-up calls from anyone which was concerning, as it is a large complex building and people might see something.
Deputies arrived and looked around the complex, until a witness found them and said she saw the child at a nearby retention pond that the parking lot surrounds.
The area was cornered off as a dive team arrived. They recovered the boy's body around 5 p.m.
No foul play is believed to be involved. Brunner says the parents have continued to be cooperative in the investigation.
Through video surveillance, they have come to know that the boy was seen outside alone by early as after 1 p.m.
The Victim's Advocate team, a group of volunteers that works with KCSO, has arrived to console the grieving parents and offer to help them with any resources they might need. That could be contacting funeral homes, making families cups of coffee, or just sitting beside them for comfort.
Brunner says the community experienced a similar incident last year in May. He says that a 1-year-old child in Buck Creek had wandered over to the creek and died.
While every child is different, Brunner says there are things to help prevent tragedies like this from happening.
Doors should be locked, and if they are at risk kids or have disabilities, there are programs that offer things like GPS trafficking. He says that can help when they need it in a moment's notice.
13 ON YOUR SIDE has sent a crew to the scene to learn more.
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