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Father mourns loss of son after tragic drowning
A Maitland father is grappling with unimaginable grief after his 5-year-old son, who had autism, drowned near a park in Kissimmee designed specifically for children with special needs.
MAITLAND, Fla. - A Maitland father is grappling with unimaginable grief after his 5-year-old son, who had autism, drowned near a park in Kissimmee designed specifically for children with special needs.
Leo Angarita says his family frequently visited Senses Park because they believed it was a safe space for his two children. That sense of security was shattered last week when his son, Arturo, slipped out of the playground and into nearby water, where he was later found unresponsive.
"I got on my knees and prayed to God," Angarita said. "When I got to the hospital and saw his body… I still couldn’t believe it."
Angarita says he was watching his children play at the fenced-in playground when Arturo disappeared.
"They were just running around, and I'm just there with them," he recalled. "I go to check on my other son, and I don't hear my other son, and I just suddenly panicked, like any parent would."
Although Senses Park is equipped with fencing and a secure gate to prevent children from leaving unsupervised, Angarita claims a section of the fence was slightly open, allowing Arturo to get out.
"It’s not supposed to be cracked open like that," Angarita said. "I come here because. It’s supposed to be safe."
Video taken by FOX 35 shows Angarita tying up the fence following Arturo’s death, an effort to secure the playground for other children. Since the incident, a visible gap in the fence appears to have been fixed.
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Angarita has hired attorney Marwan Porter, who says they plan to investigate how the tragedy occurred.
"We're going to really look into to how this occurred, and hopefully we're able to get, you know, some camera footage of everything that transpired," Porter said. "And again, the only takeaway from this is hopefully saving, you know, kids in the future"
Angarita remembers Arturo as a bright light in their lives.
"He was always smiling. He was always laughing," he said. "And even though he was on the spectrum, you know, he was an amazing, angelic, beautiful soul."
FOX 35 contacted county officials regarding the condition of the park’s fencing. While they declined to comment directly on the claims, they issued a statement:
"This is a heartbreaking tragedy. Our thoughts go out to Arturo’s family during this difficult time and for this unthinkable loss. The county is reviewing the situation to determine the facts involved."
Angarita said his only goal now is to ensure no other parent endures the pain he feels.