Parkland Taekwondo coach Christian Nogueira was found dead in a body of water near the 5700 block of Northwest 61st Place in Parkland on Saturday.
Born on September 20, 1997, Christian Nogueira was raised in Parkland, Florida.
According to the source, he was a Taekwondo coach and a former US National champion, specializing in training children with special needs.
He has also been trying to join the military for over a 1 year, but his high blood pressure condition was preventing his acceptance.
Last Thursday, he received a call from the Army recruiter stating that he had been accepted into the Army.
During most of his teenage and adult life, he lost the fight against drug addiction.
For the last three years, he had been winning the fight of his life and became 100% clean.
Christian Nogueira Died While Rescuing His Dog, Who Was Scared From Fireworks
Christian Nogueira, 27, who went missing on Friday, July 4, 2025, was found dead on Saturday, July 5, 2025, by the Broward Sheriff’s detectives.
As per BSO’s Missing Persons Unit, Christian was discovered deceased in a body of water near the 5700 block of Northwest 61st Place, the same area where he was last seen around 9:35 p.m. on Friday.
According to the reports, Christian spent the 4th of July at home, cooking burgers for his family, and later playing video games with his younger brother, Patrick.
Around 9:30 p.m., Chris took his dogs for a walk in the complex.
Chris’s father, Marco, got home at around 10:05 p.m. and searched for Chris and their dog.
He called the police, and within minutes, there were 15 police cars, two K-9 dogs, and 10 divers searching every inch and diving in every lake.
The next day, they added drones to the search.
Around noon time, one of the neighbors sent Marco a picture of a pair of Nike Sliders in his backyard, near a small pond. Marco recognized it immediately and brought the entire rescue team to that area.
Marco later said that the dogs might have been scared by the fireworks and escaped between the houses to the back, where they got into the water.
Chris might have rushed to rescue the dog, but he slipped and hit his head on the rocks around the edge, and fell into the pond. His body was discovered around 1 p.m. on Saturday.
Patty Whitehead Hodge took to her Facebook handle and mourned the loss of Chris by stating,
Praying for his family. They are forever changed.
Patty Whitehead Hodge
Michelle Davidson, a graduate of the University of Cincinnati College of Nursing and Health, also sent prayers to Chris’s family. He wrote,
So awful. Praying for all of his family and friends
Michelle Davidson
Hanna Abdul organized a fundraising campaign on GoFundMe to help Chris’s family with the funeral expenses.
Friends and relatives have also poured their heartfelt condolences and sent prayers to Chris’s family to stay strong in this heartbreaking moment.
He will always be remembered for his unforgettable contributions as a coach. Rest in Heaven, Christian Nogueira.
Christian Nogueira Is Survived By His Parents And Siblings
Christian Nogueira was born to his father, Marco Nogueira, and his mother, whose identity has not been revealed.
Marco has devoted himself to teaching and mentoring children and adults, shaping their taekwondo skills.
According to Marco’s official Facebook page, he resides in Parkland, Florida, with his family. Since April 22, 2010, he has been serving at the Parkland Taekwondo Center.
Recently, Marco posted a picture of his son, Christian, on his social media account as a tribute and to mourn the loss.
In addition, Chris is also survived by his sibling, who has avoided the media spotlight.
In Case You Didn’t Know
- According to Christian’s family, he had a heart condition and took medication.
- Christian Nogueira was 5 feet 11 inches tall and weighed approximately 190 pounds, with brown hair and brown eyes.
- Nogueira was wearing a dark gray T-shirt, navy blue shorts, and black flip-flops when while went missing.
