What to Know
- Lauderhill Police confirmed that 5-year-old Zander Brown lost his life after being rushed to the hospital.
- According to police, Brown was last seen by his mom around 6:45 p.m. Police said she realized the sliding door was closed but was unlocked.
A child with autism who was found in a canal Sunday evening in Lauderhill by rescue crews after over an hour in the water has died.
Lauderhill Police confirmed that 5-year-old Zander Brown lost his life after being rushed to the hospital after being found near the 5000 block of Northwest 85th Avenue.
Neighbors and first responders joined forces to find Brown. According to police, Brown was last seen by his mom around 6:45 p.m. Police said she realized the sliding door was closed but it was unlocked and her son was missing.
After about an hour and a half of searching, divers found Brown unresponsive in the canal behind his home. He was taken to the hospital in critical condition, but did not survive.
“Zander has autism. He doesn’t really talk. I don’t know what happened,” said Edna Alexander, a friend of the victim’s mother.
Lauderhill Police said the boy's death remains under investigation.
