OSCEOLA COUNTY, Fla. – A search kicked off in an Osceola County neighborhood after a little girl went missing, according to the sheriff’s office.
In a release, deputies said they quickly coordinated the neighborhood-wide search after being alerted to the girl’s disappearance, canvassing the area for her whereabouts.
“Through relentless efforts of the search teams, the STAR unit spotted the child in a neighbor’s swimming pool,” the release reads. “Deputies rushed to the scene and safely removed her from the water.”
According to investigators, the girl knew how to swim, though she’d ingested a “significant amount of water” and was medically evaluated as a precaution.
The sheriff’s office also urged residents to keep in mind that knowing how to swim doesn’t eliminate the dangers associated with water.
Per deputies, constant supervision, secure pool barriers and self-latching gates can help keep children safe from near-drowning incidents.
“Thanks to the swift response, coordinated teamwork, and determination of everyone involved, what could have become a heartbreaking tragedy instead ended with a child safely reunited with her family,” the release continues.
Released footage of the search can be found at the top of this story.