A Central Texas child was found dead in the backyard of his home Monday morning after nearly two hours of frantic searching.

Our news partner KWTX reports that the toddler was found lying at the bottom of his family's swimming pool at a home in the 200 block of Tennessee Avenue in Waco shortly before 11:40 AM.

The child's mother told police she woke around 9:45 AM to discover that the child had left the home. She and the child's father searched their home before asking employees at a nearby City of Waco maintenance center for help.

Police, city employees, and some staff from Cameron Park zoo aided in the search.

A police officer performing a second search of the couple's home found the child at the bottom of the pool, which was filled with cloudy water.

The child was taken to Baylor Scott & White Hillcrest Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead at 11:40 AM.

Justice of the Peace Diane Hensley said the child's death appeared to be nothing more than a horrific tragedy, but a crime scene investigation team was at the home Monday afternoon.

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