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(Photo/ Martinez family photo)
VALRICO, Fla. ---The search for a missing Florida toddler has come to a tragic end after investigators found a child's body at the bottom of a septic tank Saturday.
The Hillsborough County Sheriff's office believe the body is that of 2-year-old Luis Martinez, who was reported missing by his parents at around 3:30 p.m. on Friday.
More than 400 volunteers turned out to help with the massive 10 mile search which included helicopters, horses and canines.
On Friday, Luis was playing outside a neighbor's mobile home when an ice cream truck drove down the road ringing a bell. The woman watching Luis and another boy said Luis cried out that he wanted a treat.
The woman told Luis to go home.Authorities believe Luis instead ran around the mobile home next door and fell into an 11-inch opening for a septic tank.
The St. Petersburg Times reported that the opening of the tank was obscured by heavy growth and the boy probably did not see it as he ran over it.
The Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office said Luis was often allowed to go about his neighborhood unsupervised.
"He had the run of the place," said Col. Greg Brown.
Luis' parents initially thought someone had abducted him. Even after authorities arrived, the search-and-rescue dogs seemed to be following a trail on the street and passing over the septic tank on Friday.
Meanwhile police are still waiting for the medical examiner's office to confirm the identity of the body and will continue to investigate,as the boy's parents, Juan Martinez and Rosalina Ramirez try to come to terms with the loss of their son.
Comments
what in the world is a two year old doing running around alone like that? i hope his parents are charged.
This is so sad. The woman watching him told A 2 YEAR OLD to "go home"???!!! She should go to jail, directly to jail. Especially considering the recent cases of missing/murdered children in Florida I am suprised that ANY caregiver/parent would let a 2 year old "go home" by HIMSELF. Honestly, stupid people should be shot into space without spacesuits.
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