GAINES TWP (WWJ) -- For the second time in just under a year, a small community near Grand Rapids is grieving the death of a young child found drowned after going missing earlier in the day.
According to the Kent County Sheriff's Office, it appears that the three-year-old Gaines Township boy got out of his family's apartment and made his way down to a pond.
Authorities discovered the toddler several hours after he went missing.
Sergeant Eric Brunner said a witness reached out to the sheriff's office to tell officers that they may have seen a child near the creek.
Investigators are calling this a tragic accident. "We're grieving alongside that family and this community," Brunner said. "It's a hard time for them."
Sadly, this is not the first time this has happened. Nearly a year ago, in May 2022, a baby just under a year old accidentally drowned in neighboring Buck Creek.
"It's always a concern, water and young children," said Brunner. "That's always a concern of ours."
Related
Related
