PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. (CBS12) — Port St. Lucie police faced a weekend of heartbreak, responding to two devastating child deaths — one a boy pulled from a backyard pool, the other a missing autistic teen found in a retention pond just steps from his home.

The first incident occurred on Friday around 7:30 p.m., when officers were dispatched to a home on Southwest Edison Circle following a report of a child drowning. A 3-year-old boy was found floating in a backyard pool by his father, who was babysitting the child along with a 4-year-old and his own 3-month-old infant.

According to Port St. Lucie Police Chief Leo Niemczyk, the father had just finished feeding the baby and placed the baby down to sleep. Upon returning to the kitchen, he noticed the back door was open and saw the two young kids outside — one on the pool deck, the other in the water. He immediately jumped in and pulled his son from the pool.

Rescue crews arrived before police and took over CPR efforts. The child was transported to Treasure Coast Medical Center, where he was later pronounced dead. Niemczyk said no other adults were present at the time.

Chief Niemczyk emphasized that the pool was secured with an infant safety gate and that reasonable precautions appeared to be in place.

“So, at this moment, it’s just a very unfortunate accident. Very tragic,” he said. “We see these in Florida. They’re not uncommon.

He urged parents and caregivers to remain vigilant, recommending high-mounted locks and pool alarms that can detect water disturbances. The backyard had no surveillance cameras, leaving investigators without video evidence.

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The second incident happened on Sunday, when police responded to a missing child report on Southwest Elli Way. 13-year-old Roger Rivera had run off from his backyard while with his mother, who was unable to keep up and quickly lost sight of him. She flagged down a neighbor to call 911 as she continued searching.

Officers launched an immediate search, focusing on nearby bodies of water. Two witnesses reported seeing the boy wading into a retention pond near the home. His iPad was found near the water’s edge, prompting an underwater search, according to PSLPD.

The department deployed drones, canvassed the area, and called in dive teams from both PSLPD and the St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office. Rivera was recovered around 7 p.m., approximately 15 feet from shore and six feet below the surface.

Tanesha Jackson said neighbors stood in disbelief and heartbreak as the teens body was recovered.

“Everybody broke down like anybody who has a heart,” Jackson said. “You saw everybody just kind of like put their hands on their head. The husbands were hugging their wives. The wives were holding their children.”

Niemczyk said the initial call came in at 2:15 p.m., and the dive team entered the water by 6 p.m.

Chief Niemczyk acknowledged the emotional strain these incidents place on police and rescue personnel.

The department is coordinating two critical stress debriefings — one for each incident — to support the mental health of those involved. These sessions will include not only officers but also dispatchers and other agency personnel.

“Our hearts go out to the victims and families in this case,” Niemczyk said.

Jackson said she believes more should be done to protect vulnerable children like Roger, starting with people in their communities getting to know one another.

“I feel like if we knew more of the children in the community or knew the type of children that we have in the community that we would’ve been able to look out for him,” she said.

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