Florida parents face charges after 3-year-old son with autism found in pond dies

Two Florida parents have been charged with manslaughter of a child after their 3-year-old son was found in a nearby pond and later pronounced dead.

Lester Ortiz, the child's father, contacted law enforcement Sunday when son Ethan went missing from their residence in Sanford, Florida, approximately 20 miles north of Orlando, according to the arrest report. It wasn't the first time Ethan had wandered off on his own, his parents told police.

Barbara Ruiz, Ethan's mother, had been in the bathroom that day when she heard a door open and close. She called Ortiz, but he said he didn't have Ethan with him either. When police arrived, they searched the apartment but did find the boy, according to the report.

Officers then saw an object floating in the pond behind the apartment, waded in and discovered it was Ethan. According to the report, he was pronounced dead by personnel at the Lake Monroe Hospital shortly after.

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Ethan's death spurs investigation into parents

Ortiz and Ruiz told police that Ethan had autism spectrum disorder, and he had left their apartment at least three times prior, according to the arrest report. In previous instances, a neighbor found him and helped him to the front office where Ortiz would pick him up.

In another instance, Ethan was discovered knee-deep in the pond while Ortiz was asleep, as the Florida Department of Children and Families told police. DCF also noted that Ortiz and Ruiz have a 6-year-old son diagnosed with autism that had gone missing under their supervision.

Police also observed the parents as having bloodshot eyes and noted in the arrest report that the home smelled of "freshly smoked marijuana." The two stated that they had medical marijuana licenses, police said.

"You have two parents in the home; you had no safety measures taken for a child you know has done this on multiple occasions, so they absolutely could have prevented the death of this child,” Sanford police spokesperson Bianca Gillett told WESH2.

The arraignment for the parents is scheduled for Nov. 14.

The attorneys representing Ortiz and Ruiz could not be immediately reached for comment Tuesday.

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