‘Come on, buddy! Breathe!’ Texas officers plead while saving toddler who fell in pond
A Colleyville woman is scheduled to be recognized Monday evening for her efforts in saving the life of a 2-year-old boy who had fallen into a pond at a North Richland Hills park in June.
Brandi Rowntree pulled the child from the pond on June 9 at Linda Spurlock Park, 6400 Glenview Drive in North Richland Hills, according to a news release from police.
After seeing that the child was blue and not breathing, Rowntree began CPR until North Richland Hills first responders arrived and continued efforts to save the boy.
The boy was taken to a local hospital, where he recovered.
Dispatcher Kasey Moreno and North Richland Hills police officers Rafael Cortes and John Hydes received Lifesaving Awards for their work in the rescue.
Rowntree is scheduled to receive a Certificate of Recognition for her lifesaving efforts Monday evening at the North Richland Hills council chambers, 4301 City Point Drive. The event is scheduled at 6:45 p.m.
Rowntree and the first responders also will meet with the boy and his family.
North Richland Hills police on Monday released a two-minute video of the rescue captured on an officer’s body camera.
The video includes a brief and tense 911 exchange between the boy’s aunt and Moreno:
Caller: “Um, um, my um, um my nephew he just, he uh fell in the pool and, I mean the lake at Linda Spurlock Park.”
Dispatcher: “OK, is he out of the lake?”
Caller: “Hurry!”
In the video, as cries can be heard, officers quickly start working on reviving the boy who had just been pulled out of the water.
Officer: “Still breathing?”
Other officer: “Come on, buddy!”
Officer: “He’s breathing!”
