A young boy, missing for hours, was found dead Thursday afternoon in a water area at the Sheraton Vistana Resort.
Investigators say three-year-old Rakim Akbari, who had autism, wandered away from his family and drowned.
His mother told FOX 35 News that the family was visiting Orlando from Jacksonville, Florida.
This tragedy highlights a growing problem in Central Florida: more and more autistic children are drowning.
Rakim’s death is one of many in Florida involving children with autism over the past decade.
“Autism affects the brain’s processing of stimuli, making water especially attractive to autistic children,” said family therapist Cherlette McCullough. “They don’t fully grasp how dangerous water can be.”
A study by the Children’s Services Council of Palm Beach County found that from January 2021 to April 2024, 63 autistic children drowned in Florida.
Of these, seven were from Seminole County, and six were from Orange County.
The situation has worsened. In the weeks after the study ended in April, there were eight more drownings in Florida, including a 13-year-old boy from Orange County.
Experts believe these incidents can be prevented.
That’s why organizations like Project Lifesaver exist.
“We’ve tracked and located children in ponds, pools, and oceans,” said Project Lifesaver CEO and Founder Gene Saunders.
His organization uses a radio frequency tracking device that families can use. The person or child with a disability wears a bracelet that sends signals to family members and law enforcement.
“When dealing with an autistic child who wanders off, unlike an Alzheimer’s patient where you have hours to find them before harm occurs, you only have minutes,” Saunders explained.