A group of Port St. Lucie residents rescued an autistic child from a retention pond on Saturday morning after noticing him wandering alone near the water. The residents were on their way to grab coffee when they spotted the child and sensed something was wrong, according to the Port St. Lucie Police Department.
The group stopped to help and tried to guide the child to safety. When the child tried to enter the pond, the residents followed him into the water and pulled him to safety. The child was covered in fire ants when they reached him.
The residents immediately called 911 and stayed with the child until officers arrived. Body camera video from the Port St. Lucie Police Department shows deputies talking to the residents and wiping fire ants off the child. The Port St. Lucie Police Department advises residents to follow their instincts if they see someone who could be in danger.