18-month-old drowns in Volusia County pond after escaping home through dog door, deputies say

NEW SMYRNA BEACH, Fla. — An 18-month-old boy is dead after he was found unresponsive in his family's backyard pond, deputies said.

The incident happened in the 4000 block of Cresthill Lane on State Road 415 around 6:17 p.m. where officials believe Levi Thomas left his home through a dog door while his mother was not in the area, according to the Volusia County Sheriff's Office.

After realizing he was missing, the mother searched the home and eventually found him in the backyard pond, which is surrounded by sloping ground.

The mother performed CPR on Levi until medics arrived.

Levi was taken to AdventHealth New Smyrna Beach where he was pronounced dead.

The incident remains under investigation.

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Cox Media Group