Teen Stuck In Freezing Mud Rescued From Wertheim National Wildlife Refuge In Shirley: Police

SHIRLEY, NY — A teenager, who got stuck in muddy water in Shirley Wertheim National Wildlife Refuge, was rescued on Sunday evening, Suffolk police said.

Officers responded to a 911 call from the teen, stating he was stuck in the mud inside the refuge just before 7:30 p.m., police said, adding that he reported he had gone for a walk in the woods and could not find his way back after dark.

While walking, he inadvertently stepped into an offshoot of Carmans River, and sank into the mud and became stuck, police said.

Aviation Section officers flew a search route above the river while the teen was able to remain on the line with an Emergency Complaint Operator at the 911 dispatch center, and he was directed to use the flashlight on his cellphone to signal the helicopter, according to police.

Once spotted, aviation officers directed 7th Precinct Patrol
and Emergency Service Section officers on the ground to the teen, who was found and pulled out of the muddy water at around 8:25 p.m., police said.

Officers from K-9 Section and Marine Bureau, as well as several fire departments, also responded to the scene to provide additional support, according to police.

The boy, who is 15 and from Shirley, was escorted out of the woods and then taken by ambulance to Stony Brook University Hospital for evaluation, police said.