Police Investigating Why Toddler Was Saved In Rock River
A toddler had to be rescued from the Rock River on Monday morning.
From the Winnebago County Sheriff's Department press release:
On March 22, 2021, at approximately 11:40 AM, Winnebago County Sheriff's Deputies responded to the 300 Block of Northway Park Road in Machesney Park after receiving a report that a child had fallen into the Rock River. Upon arrival, deputies learned that a 2 year old boy was in the water. Deputies went into the water in an attempt to find the child and called for assistance from the Loves Park, North Park, and Rockford Fire Departments. After several minutes, divers were able to locate the boy. Paramedics immediately began life saving measures. The child was transported to a Rockford hospital with life threatening injuries.
No further details were given. How the boy wound up in the water or his current condition has not been shared.
The neighborhood in question is in Machesney Park, north of Bauer Road, and sits between the Rock River and N. 2nd Street, right off Shore Drive. It's a community that is always directly effected by the river when it floods because it sits on such low land right in the bend of the Rock River.
This should hopefully be a reminder to teach young children boat and water safety, especially if they will be spending any time around a body of water, especially one as large and powerful as the Rock River.
We will update this story as further details are released.