Bodycam video shows police officers rescue 3-year-old drowning in pool

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Thursday, July 30, 2020
3-year-old drowning in pool saved by police officers
MUST WATCH: Bodycam video from the incident shows the officers save the girl's life. They were choked up recounting what they call a miracle.

PENSACOLA, Florida -- Police officers saved the life of a 3-year-old girl who was found floating in a swimming pool at a home in June.

WEARTV reports the incident happened on June 13 at a home in north Pensacola.

"Officer Kyle Skipper was the first to arrive and saw the child's grandmother attempting CPR," police said in a release. "The child was unresponsive and was not breathing."

"To be honest, my first thought was, 'There's no way we're going to bring her back,' because as purple and as blue she was, I thought for sure she was gone," said Officer Robert Lindblom.

Officer Skipper said when they got there, the girl wasn't breathing and didn't have a pulse.

"I just flipped her over in my arm and just gave her several firm slaps on the back to try to get her to expel anything that was in her lungs and her throat to maybe get a clearer airway," he said.

Officer Lindblom then began chest compressions until the 3-year-old finally took a breath, regaining her pulse.

"When I saw her take that breath, I really just thought it was a miracle," Lindblom said. "When we arrived on scene I didn't expect her to recover."

Both officers said they're also parents of young kids and couldn't help but think if that was their own child.

"I've got a 3-year-old girl, the same age, and a 4-year-old son. Yeah, it hits home," said Officer Skipper.

The Pensacola Fire Department arrived along with Escambia County EMS, rushing the child to the hospital where she made a full recovery. Doctors said if she went any longer without oxygen, she wouldn't have made it.

The two officers add they were able to get to the child so quickly because they were already responding to a call only a few blocks away.

"Whether it was fate, divine intervention or just luck, I'm glad we were there," added Officer Lindblom.

You can watch the bodycam video of the rescue in the video player above.