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Lake Nona community holds vigil after boy with autism found dead in pond near home

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — A community is remembering a missing 5-year-old nonverbal boy with autism, who was found dead by search crews overnight in a pond near his Lake Nona home.

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Teams searched for Aaron Pena for more than 12 hours after he wandered off.

On Thanksgiving, friends and family came together to remember the boy during a vigil near his home.

READ: Boy, 5, with autism found dead in pond near his home in Orange County

The tragedy mirrors a similar situation that happened less than a week ago in Winter Springs.

The Seminole County Sheriff’s Office found 3-year-old Axel Caballero’s body in a retention pond after he disappeared from a neighborhood off Red Bug Lake Road and Rising Sun Boulevard.

READ: Missing 3-year-old Winter Springs boy found dead, deputies say

Deputies said he had autism and likely wandered outside and drowned.

See the full story in the video above.

Photos: Boy, 5, with autism found dead in pond near his home in Orange County

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Adam Poulisse, WFTV.com

Adam Poulisse joined WFTV in November 2019.