Man, 77, drowns in canal behind home

A 77-year-old man with dementia was found dead Sunday afternoon in a canal behind his home, the victim of an apparent accidental drowning, according to a Manatee County Sheriff’s Office report.

Neighbors discovered Donald Beauregard floating in the canal behind his residence in the 4200 block of 1st Ave. N.E. in the Riverdale subdivision at about 1:20 p.m., the report said, and he was obviously deceased when neighbors pulled him from the water.

Authorities said the victim’s wife thought her husband had been asleep in the house.

This story was originally published July 17, 2016 at 9:38 PM with the headline "Man, 77, drowns in canal behind home."