A six-year-old autistic boy who went missing for about 90 minutes in Perth’s southern suburbs died in hospital after being found unresponsive in a neighbour’s backyard swimming pool.
The boy, identified as Joey, went missing at about 4pm on Sunday from Riseley Street in Booragoon in Perth, his family said. When his family was unable to locate him, they approached law enforcement who then launched a search for the boy.
Local residents were asked to check their backyards and outbuildings by police.
Joey was found naked and unresponsive with critical injuries at 5.25pm in a swimming pool in a neighbouring property at Candish Court, police said.
Paramedics from St John Ambulance arrived at the scene and the boy was taken to a nearby Fiona Stanley Hospital, where he later died.
The boy’s death is not being treated as suspicious at the moment, with a report expected soon from the state coroner, reported local media.
Steven Vines, who identified himself as Joey’s father, wrote on his Facebook that the family’s life would never be the same without Joey, reported ABC News. He described Joey as autistic and non-verbal and said his son was a “special special” boy.
After the boy’s body was found in the swimming pool, police said they would provide an update “when appropriate to do so”.
Western Australia premier Mark McGowan offered his condolences to the family for losing their son.
“Obviously a shocking thing and we were all hoping for the best, but it didn’t turn out that way. So can I pass on all our thoughts to little Joey’s family,” he said.
Police had previously described Joey as approximately 3ft tall with a “thin build, tanned skin, blond mullet haircut with blue eyes”.
“We lost my little nephew Joey tonight. We love you so much Jo Jo,” said Tracey Hall, the boy’s aunt, on Facebook, reported News.com.au.
