Florida

Missing Florida toddler found dead in backyard canal

Photo source: North Port Police Department

NORTH PORT, Fla. — NORTH PORT, Fla. (AP) - Authorities say a Florida toddler died after going missing and falling in a canal.

News outlets report that 20-month-old Ava Natalia Perry went missing from her North Port home Tuesday morning.

Officials say the girl's family searched for about an hour before calling police. Officers conducted an aggressive search and found the girl in a canal about a half-mile from her home. The girl was taken to a nearby hospital, where she was pronounced dead.

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Police say the girl had been with a sibling in an unfenced backyard that bordered the canal.

We'd like to thank everyone for their attention and help with the case worked today. We are all very sad for the family...

Posted by North Port Police Department on Tuesday, July 17, 2018