EAST LAKE, Fla. — A 3-year-old boy is dead after drowning in a pond near his home off of East Lake Road, according to the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office.

Authorities say the child was autistic and nonverbal.

The parents, who are hearing impaired, had not seen their son for about an hour and made a call to law enforcement around 4:30 p.m.

Using Ring cameras and K9s, deputies say they traced the boy’s steps to a pond, three buildings away from where he lived.

Investigators say it took them three hours to find the boy in the water.

“It’s unfortunate, it’s a tragic accident,” Chief Deputy David Danzig said. “Any time a child loses their life under circumstances like this, it’s a terrible night for everyone up here. I wish it was a different outcome.”

The sheriff’s office is calling the drowning accidental.