A 6-year-old boy has died after being pulled from the water at Belle Isle during a family reunion Saturday evening.
Police say the family was gathered near Shelter #2, close to the river that feeds into Lake Tacoma. Multiple children were playing in a bouncing castle when the boy, who was autistic, wandered off alone.
Family members began searching when they noticed he was missing. After they couldn’t find him, they called 911 and reported him missing and autistic.
About 30 minutes later, the child was found in the river by another child and an adult near the same shelter.
Conservation officers and DNR park rangers were first on the scene and began CPR. A trooper soon arrived and took over CPR and rescue breathing. An AED was used and delivered one successful shock before instructing responders to continue CPR.
Detroit Fire took over life-saving efforts once they arrived. EMS rushed the child to Children’s Hospital with a trooper escort, but he was pronounced dead upon arrival.
