Watch: Fla. Police Officer Rescues Autistic Boy From Drowning in Pond

A Homestead police officer removed his gear and jumped into a pond to rescue an autistic 12-year-old boy who was struggling in the water.
Oct. 13, 2026
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What to Know

  • Homestead Police Officer Carston Addison rescued an autistic 12-year-old boy who was drowning in a pond after responding to a report of a child in the water.
  • Addison removed his gear, jumped into the water and pulled the boy to safety before other officers helped move him to a cruiser for treatment.
  • The officer, who had been with the department for less than a year, received the agency's special life-saving award for his actions.

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A Florida police is being praised for saving an autistic 12-year-old boy who was drowning in a pond in August.

The rescue happened Aug. 2 when Homestead Police Officer Carston Addison responded to a report of a child in the middle of a lake, WFOR-TV reports. When he reached the scene, Addison saw that the boy was in distress and jumped into the water after ditching his gear.

Once in the water, Addison was able to reach the boy and pull him to safety. Other officers carried the boy to a cruiser, where he was evaluated and treated before medics arrived.

For his actions, Addison, who has been on the force for less than a year, received the department's special life-saving award. It's only the second time the award has been given since Mario Knapp became chief in 2025.

"It is never easy to rescue anyone who is drowning, because you know they get desperate and grab on to anything," Knapp told WFOR. "He answered the call and went into the water and saved him."

About the Author

Joe Vince
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Joe Vince

Joining Endeavor Business Media in 2018, Joe has worked on the company's city services publications. He began working at OFFICER.com as the assistant editor. Before starting at Endeavor, Joe had worked for a variety of print and online news outlets, including the Indianapolis Star, the South Bend Tribune, Reddit and Patch.com.
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