WELAKA, Fla. — UPDATE: The Putnam County Sheriff's Office announced Mason's death at 6 p.m. Mason's aunt has started a GoFundMe to help his family with funeral expenses.
The Putnam County Sheriff's Office said a 4-year-old boy who wandered away from his home in Welaka around 12:30 p.m. Thursday was recovered from the water around 5:20 p.m.
Mason Newstead was last seen wearing gray footie pajamas when he exited the home on Front Street. His was autistic and non-verbal.
"I just want the community to give this family some space, but certainly keep them in your prayers," Putnam County Sheriff's Office Colonel, Joseph Wells, said.
First Coast News spoke with Kathy Washington, a woman who said she knew Newstead's mom.
"We'll still be here for the family; we do want them to know they are not alone."
Wells said a neighbor's ring camera showed Mason heading towards the nearby St. Johns River.
“With the tragedy that happened today, the little boy was probably very attracted to water," Myron Pincomb, the CEO of the International Board of Credentialing and Continuing Education Standards [IBCCES] said.
Pincomb trains first responders around the world, and in Northeast Florida, on how to find children and adults with autism when they go missing.
“We train them to go towards the thing with the most sensory overload. Water has a lot of sensory elements. So, there's tastes, there's shininess, there's a feel to it, sometimes there's sound to it as well. So pretty much every one of the senses is stimulated by water," Pincomb said.
The Putnam County Sheriff's Office said its deputies are trained to search for children with autism.
They searched the river by land, sea and air for Mason.
Pincomb said it's also important for communities to know what to look for to help law enforcement and families.
“Let your neighbors know and they can help you with situations like this. And yeah, it takes a community to raise some of these kids and don't be afraid to talk to people about it.”
The Putnam County Sheriff’s Office said Mason’s mother was home at the time and she was very attentive outfitting her home with several protocols to keep her 4-year-old son safe.
The sheriff's offices said there appears to be no neglect and it's calling this a tragic accident.
