OSCEOLA COUNTY, Fla. – A child died Friday in an accidental drowning at a pond at Westgate Town Center Resort, according to officials.
Osceola County deputies had been called that morning to a potential drowning in the area around Westgate Boulevard, the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement before 10 a.m.
In an update shared Friday afternoon, the sheriff’s office confirmed that a child involved in the incident had died.
The child — identified as Ashton — and his family were visiting the area on vacation, the sheriff’s office said, adding an investigation determined the drowning was accidental in nature and did not appear to be criminal.
Out of respect and consideration for the family during this difficult time, we will not be releasing any additional information regarding this incident.
Osceola County Sheriff's Office (excerpt)
[VIDEO BELOW: Deputies called to Westgate Resort]
Fighting through tears, Lyonetta Taylor told News 6, “Everything about my son, I’m going to miss… Hearing him scream, saying, ‘Mom.’ I had to get McDonald’s every day. I don’t care. I would do that again 1,000 times.”
Taylor discovered Ashton’s body in the pond around 8 a.m. on Friday morning after realizing he had wandered off.
Video from the scene shows a bystander performing CPR before paramedics and deputies arrived to help.
“Seeing as he has autism and he’s nonverbal, it’s very heartbreaking,” Taylor said. “He couldn’t cry for nobody. He couldn’t call for nobody. If there was a gate around the pond, Ashton wouldn’t have gotten in.”
Taylor is now calling on Westgate to add gates around water features, post lifeguards at the pool, and implement stronger safety measures to prevent another tragedy.
In a statement to News 6, Westgate Resorts said it was cooperating with the sheriff’s office.
“We are working with the family to help care for their needs during this difficult time,” Westgate said.
Westgate said CPR-certified staff members are on site 24 hours per day.