Eight-year-old girl rescued from Bear Pond in Turner
Jul. 21—TURNER — An 8-year-old girl was rushed to the hospital by Turner Rescue about 3 p.m. Thursday after almost drowning in Bear Pond.
Lisa Bennett, the town's rescue chief, said the girl is expected to recover.
Tina Ouellette, a North Turner resident, said she was at Bear Pond Beach when a girl got into trouble while swimming. She said a young man grabbed her out of the water and pulled her onto the sandy beach, calling out "Daddy!"
Ouellette said many people rushed to help, gathering around the girl and trying to provide CPR.
"We all came together and did what needed to be done," she said.
A photograph of the scene that Ouellette took shows a few people, mostly young women in swimsuits, kneeling or crouching around the girl.
Ouellette said she thinks they "brought her back" and got a pulse before authorities arrived and "grabbed her and took her" by air to Central Maine Medical Center in Lewiston.
"My heart is so sad," Ouellette said, and added that she hopes the girl pulls through safely.
Bear Pond and Little Bear Pond, located along Route 219 just west of state Route 4, make up 422 acres between them.
