Macomb County deputies rescue toddler who fell into swimming pool

By Andres Gutierrez

June 6, 2023 / 7:43 PM / CBS Detroit

MACOMB TOWNSHIP, Mich., (CBS DETROIT) – A 2-year-old girl almost drowned over the weekend but is alive and well Tuesday, all because of the quick actions from her father and two Macomb County sheriff's deputies.

A peaceful Saturday morning at a Macomb Township home turned into a parent's nightmare when a 2-year-old girl fell into the backyard pool.

Her mother frantically called 911. Dispatcher Lindsey McCord walked the girl's father on how to perform CPR over the phone.

Within two minutes of getting the call, Macomb County Sheriff's deputies Mitchell Blount and Jon Potocki were on the scene.

"We rounded the corner, and the door was wide open. What we saw was not what you want to see," Potocki said.

Blount and Potocki found the toddler unresponsive.

"I flipped the baby over, and Deputy Blount checked for a pulse. And I flipped her back over. I did feel what I thought was a faint heartbeat. And just instinct kind of kicked in, and I started doing some back blows to get that water out of her airway. And we worked great together, it was just in unison," Potocki said.

It was only a short time before Macomb Township firefighters showed up and took over.

"We're just both hoping that she's gonna pull through; she's gonna make it," Blount said.

The closest paramedics were four miles away–but stuck in a construction zone. The deputies and firefighters couldn't wait.

"So we radioed to our command officer and said we need to load and go right now, and as soon as we got the okay, we went with it. The child rode on the back of Deputy Blount's patrol car with two Macomb Township firefighters continuing that life-saving measure," Potocki said.

When they got to the hospital, the little girl was breathing and had a pulse. She was airlifted to Royal Oak for further treatment and is now home with her parents.

"I don't think there's any training that can get you through something of that magnitude. But it was the training that they received that got them the proper care that the child needed and the outcome that we have here today," said Cmdr. Jason Abro with the Macomb County Sheriff's Office.

With the video of the deputies' efforts going viral, the department is getting flooded with calls and messages commending them for their heroic efforts.

"It's flattering to be called a hero. We just happen to be at the right place at the right time," Blount said.

Andres Gutierrez joined CBS News Detroit in September 2022. He comes from KSHB-TV in Kansas City, Missouri, serving as a general assignment reporter and fill-in anchor.

First published on June 6, 2023 / 7:43 PM

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