Port St. Lucie, Fla. — Around 7:15 p.m. Monday, 5‑year‑old Zam Tuang slipped out of his family’s home on Southwest Crean Terrace. His family and neighbors looked for him and then called police when they couldn’t find him. Hours later the search ended in heartbreak when officers found him in a nearby body of water.
Zam, who had autism and did not know how to swim, was seen on surveillance video leaving through the garage and walking east. Officers with patrol units, K‑9 teams and drones spread out across the neighborhood, knowing every minute mattered. For more than two hours neighbors and first responders combed the area calling his name.
By about 9:45 p.m. police located Zam in the water near the intersection of Southwest Juliet Street and Southwest Hampshire Lane. Officers immediately began CPR and continued until fire rescue arrived and rushed him to a hospital. Despite their efforts, Zam was pronounced dead later that night.
Investigators say there are no signs of foul play and that this appears to be a tragic accident. In statements to local media, police emphasized how quickly children with autism can wander and how dangerous water can be when a child cannot swim. The community has been left shaken by the loss and many people have shared sympathy for the family.
Friends, neighbors and local leaders gathered near the scene in the days after the incident. Many spoke quietly about Zam’s bright smile and the sudden shock that a simple walk could turn into such loss. His family has stayed close, surrounded by loved ones offering support in open grief.
Officials held a news briefing Tuesday afternoon reaffirming the details of the search and urging residents to take extra safety steps with children who wander. Many in Port St. Lucie echoed the call, talking about alarms, fences, and watchful eyes as constants when caring for children with special needs.
In the quiet that followed, police thanked all the responders who joined the search and emphasized the deep sadness of the outcome. A neighborhood once alive with search crews now stands still, holding space for a family that lost a boy full of life.
