UPDATE: Child’s Body Recovered from West Fargo Retention Pond

Neighbors tell us the boy was about 9 or 10 years old, had autism and was from Africa, but that has not been confirmed by police

UPDATED STORY: Divers pulled a body out of a West Fargo retention pond just before 7 pm after people saw a young child having trouble keeping their head above water.

An emergency call came in around 3:50 at 2946 5th Street West and around 5 pm, the scene changed from rescue to recovery mode.

The West Fargo Fire Department says crews responded within 90 seconds and divers and a boat have searched the water multiple times.

Neighbors tell us the boy was about 9 or 10 years old, had autism and was from Africa, but that has not been confirmed by police.

“This is sad day in West Fargo recovering any body is never a good day but when it’s a young child it’s a horrible thing. I would tell everyone as we head into the fourth of July next week to hug your kids and tell them you love them tonight because its days like this that really reinforces how quickly things can be taken away from you,” said Chief Heith Janke, with the West Fargo Police Department.

West Fargo Fire Chief Dan Fuller says the divers could barely see a foot in front of them in the cloudy water.

We will keep you keep updated with information as it becomes available.

ORIGINAL STORY: WEST FARGO, N.D. – Crews have pulled a child’s body from a pond at 2946 5th Street West in West Fargo.

An emergency call came in around 3:50 PM Friday and first responders say the child was underwater when they arrived 90 seconds later.

The body was recovered around 7:00.

Divers and a boat searched the water multiple times. West Fargo Fire Chief Dan Fuller said it was difficult to find the child because of depth of the pond holding stormwater, which is 12 feet, and because the water was murky. Divers said they could only see one foot in front of them.

The investigation changed around 5:00.

“We changed from a rescue to recovery mode. Valley Water Rescue is on scene now using a sonar and divers to get to the deeper parts of the retention pond,” West Fargo Fire Department Chief Dan Fuller said.

Investigators say they believe this was an accidental drowning.

There are no signs near the pond saying swimming is prohibited.

Chief Fuller he hasn’t seen anyone swimming in retention ponds for years.

The child’s body has been sent for an autopsy. Their identity has not been released.