Police Officer Saves Child Who Fell Through Ice After Crawling onto Frozen Pond in Arkansas
Troy Ellison “sprung into action” Saturday after the boy fell through the ice at an apartment complex in Jonesboro, according to the police department
An Arkansas police officer is being praised for his heroics after saving a child who fell through ice after crawling onto a frozen pond.
Crews responded to the scene at the Gladiola Estates apartments off Harrisburg Road in Jonesboro around 10 a.m. local time, according to news affiliate KAIT.
Upon arrival, officer Troy Ellison “sprung into action” and “quickly located the child,” the Jonesboro Police Department said in a Facebook post, which included video of the rescue.
Footage from Ellison’s body camera showed the officer running toward the small pond while three people, who appeared to be adults, stood near the water’s edge as the boy cried for help.
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Neighbor Jazmin Kary told KAIT she attempted to reach the child using a stick and even climbed on the ice herself, but retreated after the boy insisted the ice was not safe.
After quickly assessing the scene, Ellison crawled onto the ice to retrieve the boy, who was noticeably upset. “I got you bud! I got you!” he is heard saying in the footage as he hoisted the boy from the water.
Multiple officers and firefighters entered the frame as Ellison and the boy approached shore. One office picked up the boy and handed him to a firefighter standing on the opposite side of a nearby fence.
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Ellison could be heard taking a deep breath after the child was handed over and transported to a local hospital for evaluation, according to the JPD.
“I had never done anything like that before,” Ellison told KAIT. He said the boy’s mother told him that her son will not experience any “long-lasting consequences” from the incident.
The boy has said he would “never” go onto an icy pond again, as well, according to KAIT.
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On Facebook, the police department praised Ellison for doing a “great job” in response to the scary call. It also used the incident as a reminder to be wary of thin ice.
“Be mindful that no matter how cold the temperatures get this winter, playing on the ice is never safe,” the JPD said. “Luckily, this call had a very happy ending.”
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