Search for 1-year-old ends when Florida cops drain septic tank. ‘Worst possible case’

Alison Cutler
·2 min read
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The search for a 1-year-old boy ended on the afternoon of March 28 when his body was found submerged in a septic tank on family property, Florida deputies said.

Jose Lara was reported missing around 1:45 p.m. on March 27, Putnam County Sheriff Gator DeLoach said in a news conference. Deputies were dispatched to the family home and began searching for the boy. in

Jose was last seen playing with his sibling around 1:15 p.m. on March 27, WJXT reported.

His mother was inside the home with Jose’s sibling when he disappeared, DeLoach said.

At least 120 deputies, K-9’s and emergency personnel assisted in the search, DeLoach said. Authorities called off the search around midnight and returned the next day.

Deputies didn’t believe Jose was abducted or left the property, DeLoach said in the news conference. DeLoach said authorities chose to drain the septic tank, which was about 35-40 yards from the home, as a precautionary measure in the search on March 28.

While authorities were preparing to drain the tank, they noticed that a section of the clean-out access to the septic tank was covered with rotting wood, dirt and debris, DeLoach said. Beneath the plywood, deputies found Jose’s body submerged inside the tank.

Deputies believe Jose had stepped onto the rotting plywood and fallen through into the tank, according to DeLoach. Though a full investigation is underway, DeLoach said it appeared the child’s death was a tragic accident.

“This certainly is not the resolution that we had hoped for,” DeLoach said. “This was certainly the worst possible case scenario.”

DeLoach asked the community to pray for the family and the responders who searched through the night for the boy. He added that it should remind parents to always supervise children.

“These things happen in just a blink of an eye,” he said.

Putnam County is about 60 miles south of Jacksonville.

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