CABARRUS CO., NC -- A 10-year old autistic boy died after wandering away from his care facility. Administrators at Howell Care Centers-Clear Creek facility, said the boy walked away from the Cabarrus County building just before breakfast Sunday morning.

He wandered at least a quarter mile, deep into the woods nearby. Search and rescuers were called out, and about an hour after he walked away, he was found in a pond. He was rushed to the hospital, where he later died.

Howell Care Centers president Sandra Hedrick said it was 'a tragic accident', and something like this has never happened there before. Hedrick said the 100 or so residents, who are mentally disabled, are looked after by staff members, but there isn't 24-hour one-on-one supervision.

She said staff members watched video surveillance at the facility to see what direction the boy was heading, but no one was watching as it happened. The boy's mother lives nearby, and was contacted immediately, Hedrick said. The mother made it to the hospital before her son died.

Hedrick said there will be an internal review to see if there's anything they need to change to ensure something like this doesn't happen again. The Cabarrus County Sheriff's Department will also conduct their own investigation.

A state Department of Health and Human Services spokeswoman said officials were unaware of any "systemic" issues or violations involving RHA Howell facilities. The North Carolina Division of Health Service Regulation said it will investigate the incident.