8-year-old autistic Massachusetts boy dies after being found unresponsive in pond; studies say it is no coincidence

An 8-year-old Massachusetts boy tragically passed away on Wednesday after being found unresponsive in Mossy Pond near the Harborview Apartments on Lakeside Avenue in Clinton.

Brady Cassidy was a rising third grader at Clinton Elementary School, had autism, and was non-verbal.

Clinton Schools Superintendent Dr. Steve Meyer announced the news late Wednesday, expressing his sorrow and identifying Brady in a Facebook post. Meyer noted that Brady’s passing appeared to be an accidental drowning, and he encouraged the community to keep Brady’s family in their prayers. Guidance staff were made available at the school on Thursday to support students and parents processing the loss, with Meyer acknowledging the difficulty young children may face in understanding such an event.

Brady was in the Harborview Apartments with his grandmother, who shared with the media that she was upstairs when he managed to exit through a locked door and wandered to the pond.

According to those who knew him, Brady had a love for music and the children’s show “Paw Patrol”.

Reports suggest Brady was found at approximately 2:30 p.m., rushed to a hospital, and pronounced dead.

The incident prompted a response from Clinton Police and Massachusetts State Police detectives assigned to the Worcester County District Attorney’s Office, who are investigating the circumstances.

Massachusetts has had several recent deaths involving young autistic children drowning and it is no coincidence. Studies have shown that accidental drowning accounts for a large percentage of fatalities in children with autism and is the leading cause of death. Children with autism are 160 times more likely to drown than the general child population according to Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health.

The investigation remains ongoing.