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Florida forming drowning prevention plan
Water safety experts, advocates and officials are forming a state plan to prevent drownings and held a meeting yesterday at a community center in Eatonville. Megan Ferraro, Executive Director of The ZAC Foundation joined FOX 35's Garrett Wymer live via Zoom to break down the mission to create a Florida Water Safety Strategy, part of a national 10-year roadmap to reduce drowning deaths which would begin in 2026. Florida has among the highest drowning rates of any state.
KISSIMMEE, Fla. - A child drowned on Friday morning in a Central Florida pond while on vacation with his family, Osceola County deputies say.
What happened?
What we know:
Deputies with the Osceola County Sheriff's Office (OCSO) said they responded to reports of a possible drowning on Friday morning in the area around Westgate Boulevard in Kissimmee.
The area is next to the Westgate Vacation Villas Resort, which is in close proximity to the Central Florida theme parks and dozens of other resorts.
Osceola County Fire Rescue (OCFR) said they took the child to the hospital, but they did not survive.
Officials say the drowning was accidental in nature and does not appear to be criminal.
The child and their family were visiting the area on vacation, authorities say.
What they're saying:
"Out of respect and consideration for the family during this difficult time, we will not be releasing any additional information regarding this incident," deputies with the OCSO said.
What we don't know:
Officials have not yet released any details on what led to the drowning and have not identified the child.
This is a developing story. Check back later for more information.
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The Source: This story was written based on information shared by the Osceola County Sheriff's Office (OCSO) and Osceola County Fire Rescue (OCFR) in emails on June 13, 2025.