4-year-old autistic boy dies in Lake Placid

LAKE PLACID -- A 4-year-old autistic child died after wandering away from his home in Lake Placid and falling in the pool of a nearby home.

Hunter Williamson was reported missing at 1:19 p.m. today (Oct. 26). Deputies immediately responded, arriving on scene within 11 minutes, and a search was begun using all available assets. In addition to patrol units, K-9 and a drone were deployed to the wooded area around Hunter’s home on Rocky Road NW in Lake Placid.

Hunter was wearing a Safety Net bracelet, and deputies were closing in on his location using the radio tracking system at 2:27 p.m. when the drone spotted him behind a home on Heal Avenue NW, two streets away from where he went missing. Life-saving measures were immediately begun and Hunter was transported by ambulance to the hospital, but he was unable to be revived.