The Polk County Sheriff’s Office is currently searching Lake Annie south of Dundee for a 9-year old boy from Port St. Lucie who fell from a boat on Saturday, November 26, 2022.

PCSO deputies, along with Polk County Fire Rescue responded to Lake Annie at around 2:39 pm on Saturday, and had boats in the water immediately to look for the boy.

PCSO’s Marine Unit, Underwater Search and Recovery Team (USART), Aviation Unit, and Drone Units have been involved in the ongoing search. Polk County Fire Rescue, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, and the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office have also been involved in the search and recovery efforts.

“It’s a tragedy, and an unimaginable nightmare for the family of the boy. We are using extensive resources to find him. We’re working in a large lake with depths up to about 16-feet, with poor visibility, but we’ve been out there 24-hours a day, and will continue to be there until we find him.” – Grady Judd, Sheriff

The boy and his two brothers were on his father’s pontoon Saturday. The victim fell over the front and was struck by the boat's propeller. The father immediately jumped into the water to look for his son, while one of the other boys called 911 for help.

The victim was not wearing a personal flotation device when he fell into the water, but was not required to wear one by law.

The investigation and search are ongoing.