6-Year-Old Boy Drowns in Michigan River After Wandering Away During Family Reunion: Police

A 6-year-old boy tragically drowned after slipping away from a family reunion at Belle Isle Park in Detroit on Saturday evening, July 26, according to Michigan State Police.

The child, who had autism, had been playing with other children in a bounce house at Shelter #2 in the riverside park when he wandered off unnoticed. Family members began searching for him when they realized he was missing and eventually called 911 around 7:20 p.m., reporting both a missing child and a medical emergency.

Roughly 30 minutes later, the boy was discovered in the river near the shelter by another child and an adult. Conservation officers, DNR park rangers, and bystanders rushed to the scene to begin CPR and rescue breathing. A trooper later arrived and took over efforts, administering a shock with an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) before continuing CPR.

Despite the rapid response, the boy was pronounced dead upon arrival at Children’s Hospital in Detroit, where he had been taken with a police escort.

“Our hearts go out to this little boy’s family and also to the first responders and community members who did everything they could to try and save this child’s life,” said Michigan State Police First Lieutenant Mike Shaw in a statement. He also urged families to remain vigilant around water, noting that drownings can happen silently and swiftly.

The child’s name has not been released publicly.

According to the CDC, drowning is the leading cause of accidental death for children aged 1 to 4 and the second leading cause for kids aged 5 to 14. The National Autism Association notes that children with autism are significantly more vulnerable, with drowning posing a heightened risk—up to 160 times greater than that of their neurotypical peers.

Saturday’s incident adds to a troubling string of recent drowning cases in Michigan this year.