A 4-year-old girl who was rescued from the Big River in Dittmer on June 12 is expected to survive, authorities reported.
At about 4:50 p.m. that day, the De Soto Rural Fire Protection District got a call about a possible drowning near the Brown’s Ford River Access area, said John Scullin, a spokesman for the fire district.
According to the call, the girl had been under the water for approximately five minutes and bystanders were performing CPR on the girl, Scullin said.
“The child was not breathing and not conscious, but at some point the CPR stopped and the child was crying,” Scullin said. “Valle Ambulance took over care of the patient. Survival Flight (helicopter) flew her to Children’s Hospital in St. Louis, presumably in serious condition.”
Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office spokesman Grant Bissell said deputies investigated the incident.
“A juvenile girl was in the river with her parents when she was swept under the water by the current,” Bissell reported. “Bystanders downriver heard calls for help from the girl’s family. A 29-year-old man from De Soto spotted the girl under the water, dove in an pulled her onto the bank. The girl was unconscious, blue in color and not breathing at the time.
“A 29-year-old woman from De Soto and another woman alternated performing CPR on the girl until she started showing signs of life.”
Bissell said the girl was stabilized at the hospital and was expected to live.