JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Children drownings in Florida have officially broken a state record.
Ahead of New Year’s, experts are warning to keep a close eye on your kids with autism who tend to wander.
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Just last week, two 2-year-olds wandered out of their homes. One drowned in a pool and the other in a pond.
Overall, 103 children have drowned this year in Florida.
Autism Society of Florida President Stacey Hoaglund says 61% of the kids between ages four and 18 who drowned this year were diagnosed with autism.
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Children with autism are 160 times more likely to drown than other kids. And 91% of them happen because they wandered away from safety.
Action News Jax spoke to a mother of a child with autism.
“It was a constant fear of him. You couldn’t turn your back. Always somebody had to be with him,” Shannon Hube said.
Hear more from parents and experts on FOX30 at 10.
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