PUTNAM COUNTY, Fla. — A near 24-hour search for missing one-and-half-year-old Jose Lara ended in heartbreak Monday afternoon.
“It’s just a very sad day in Crescent City,” community member Michael Frank said.
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Putnam County Sheriff H.S. “Gator” DeLoach said Jose’s body was found inside a septic tank.
Deputies said they’re unsure how long he was inside the tank.
“This was certainly the worst possible case scenario as far as outcome,” Sheriff DeLoach said.
Action News Jax first told you Jose was first reported missing around 1:45 p.m. Sunday. Deputies said he was playing outside with his sister when his mom briefly took the sister inside to clean her up. When the mom went back outside, that’s when she saw that Jose had disappeared.
Community members standing by waiting to assist in the search say this is not the outcome they hoped for.
“It’s horrible. I mean we were hoping to find him,” Janet Arce said.
Sheriff DeLoach said they decided to check the septic tank on Monday as a precaution. He said there was no previous indication that Jose had fallen in.
“Just beneath the layer of dirt there was actually a piece of plywood that had been there for sometime and appeared to have rotted to the extent that whenever he stepped on it, he actually fell in,” Sheriff DeLoach said.
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Volunteers waiting, like Michael Frank, said the manner of his death is shocking.
“I know I’ve had property in the past where the septic tank covers are concrete, and you have to be a pretty strong man to remove the cover,” Sheriff DeLoach said.
Deputies said there is still no indication of foul play.
They remind parents to always keep a close eye on their children.
“It’s terribly unfortunate what’s happened here, but it serves as a reminder to all of us who have children that are parents that there’s never an opportunity to leave them unsupervised,” Sheriff DeLoach said.
A GoFundMe has been created to help the family with funeral arrangements.
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