HARRIS COUNTY, Texas — Sheriff’s deputies responded to a pool near Friendswood early Thursday where a young teenager was found dead.
Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez tweeted the 13-year-old was found in a community pool located in the park on Quillback.
The teen’s body was found at the bottom of the pool, the sheriff said.
"Our condolences go out to the family," the sheriff tweeted.
Views from Air 11 showed a portion of the park sectioned off with police tape.
HCSO spokesman Deputy Thomas Gilliland later confirmed the young teen was a special needs child.
Gilliland said two people arriving to play tennis at the nearby rec center first saw the child and called 911. EMS and deputies quickly arrived, but the young teen was pronounced dead at the scene.
About 15 to 20 minutes later, a nearby resident arrived and reported they had a family member missing from their household. Gilliland said, based on the family member's description, the child is believed to be from that household.
“He was a special needs child, which makes this a tragedy,” said Gilliland. “Again, it’s a very tough scene for our deputies, crime scene and for the family.”
Investigators are working to determine how the teen got access to the pool, which is surrounded by fencing. They noted there was a step stool found along the perimeter, although it's not yet confirmed how it got there or if the victim used it to get over the fence.