'All Glory To God': FL Deputy Saves Child, 5, Who Wandered Into Pond

DELTONA, FL — A 5-year-old boy reportedly on the autistism spectrum is safe after a Volusia County deputy saved him Tuesday from a Toluca Court pond, and the rescue was captured on video footage.

"I thanked God a lot for putting me in that position," Volusia County Deputy Wes Brough said Wednesday as he recalled the rescue.

The boy was reported missing after leaving his Valmont Lane home around 7:30 a.m. Tuesday, the Volusia County Sheriff's Office said. He escaped from the home through a second-story door, which triggered an alarm, authorities said.

The alarm was part of several measures authorities said the family had taken to secure the home.

The family notified authorities and began searching for the youngster; but, the sheriff's office said the boy was not located either in the home or in the immediate area.

Authorities knew the boy was attracted to water and began checking bodies of water near his home, they said. This led to a search at the pond behind Toluca Court, authorities said.

Bodycam footage released Wednesday by the sheriff's office shows deputies searching a wood line and a nearby pond for the boy.

In the 2 minute and 4 second-long clip, a deputy is seen searching the woods before a young person's voice is heard. The deputy is then heard calling out for the boy.

The footage jumps to a second deputy's body camera, which seemingly shows Brough running into a pond to rescue the child from the water.

The boy had been holding onto a log, authorities said.

Authorities said Brough carried the boy to dry land, and the boy was medically cleared and reunited with his family.

In speaking with the sheriff's office, Brough said he was grateful to God for not only allowing him to be in the position to save the boy, but he was also appreciative the boy was above water and breathing.

"So that's all glory to God and putting me in the right place at the right time," he said. "I'm very thankful."

Brough said, in that moment, he thought of his own children.

"So, to have him hold on to me tightly like that, it really felt like he was my own kid holding on to me," he said.

All Volusia County deputies complete autism awareness training, and Brough said training has taught him not to hesitate when it comes to someone's life.

"Great job to all involved on this call," authorities said in a news release.