Toddler Wanders Off and Falls in Fox River

McHenry County Sheriff’s police are urging residents to practice water safety after a one-year-old fell into the Fox River in McHenry on May 10.

According to the sheriff’s report, deputies responded to a residence on the 2100 block of Colby Drive, in unincorporated McHenry, at 1:08 p.m., May 10, for a child that fell into the river.

When sheriff’s deputies arrived, they learned that his mother found the child in the Fox River. The mother told deputies that she went upstairs briefly and her three children were downstairs. When she returned downstairs, the three children were missing. The mother found two of the children near the river and the one-year-old was in the water. The mother pulled the child from the water.

An off-duty paramedic was fishing in the river at the time and noticed the commotion. The paramedic rendered aid until the Nunda Fire Protection District arrived. The child was transported to Centigram’s Northern Illinois Medical Center. The sheriff’s office notified DCFS, but does not anticipate any law enforcement actions, according to the report.

The sheriff’s office reminds adults to take safety precautions when caring for children near water. The American Red Cross Water Safety website provides information on water safety. The Red Cross recommends that parents of younger children stay within an arm’s length reach when near water.

The Red Cross also recommends parents take a CPR course.  Residents interested in learning CPR can call the Huntley Fire Protection District at  847-669-5066 for information on when the next class will be held.