Polk County - Tuesday November 29, 2022: The body of a 9-year old Port St. Lucie boy was recovered Tuesday morning from Lake Annie in Polk County after three days of searching for his remains. His identity has not been released. The family has been informed, according to a statement from the Polk County Sheriff's Office.
This past Saturday, the boy was with his father and two brothers on the Lake when he fell from the front of their pontoon boat and passed underneath it, and was then struck by the propeller. The boy's father jumped in to search for his son, while one of the other boys called 911.
Polk County Deputies, along with Polk County Fire Rescue arrived at the Lake just south of Dundee around 2:39 p.m. They immediately launched search boast into the water to look for the boy, but despite an intensive search effort that continued through Monday his body was not recovered until Tuesday morning.
Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said the boys shirt was later found to have become entangled in the propeller. “It’s a tragedy, and an unimaginable nightmare for the family of the boy," said Sheriff Judd.
Annie Lake covers 407 acres, its waters are murky, and it has a mean depth of 14 feet, and a maximum depth of 19 feet.
The Polk County Sheriff PCSO’s Marine Unit, Underwater Search and Recovery Team (USART), Aviation Unit, and Drone Units were all involved in the search. They were joined by Polk County Fire Rescue, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, and the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office.
The victim was not wearing a personal flotation device when he fell into the water, but was not required to wear one by law.
