Toddler Wanders Off, 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.

On Tuesday, the McHenry County police responded to a residence on the 2100 block of Colby Drive in unincorporated McHenry for a child that fell into the Fox River in the early afternoon.

According to police, the mother went upstairs briefly and her three children were downstairs. She returned downstairs and saw that the children were no longer in the house.

She found two children near the river and the 1-year-old in the water. The mother pulled the child out of the water.

An off-duty paramedic was fishing on the river, noticed the commotion and rendered aid until the Nunda Fire Department arrived. The child was transported to Centegra’s Northern Illinois Medical Center.

No charges were filed, but as mandated by law, the sheriff’s office notified the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services. The condition of the child has not yet been released.

Water Safety Tips the American Red Cross:

• Learn to swim. The best thing anyone can do to stay safe in and around the water is to learn to swim. Always swim with a buddy; never swim alone. The American Red Cross has swimming courses for people of any age and swimming ability. To enroll in a swim course, contact your local Red Cross chapter.
• Swim in areas supervised by a lifeguard.
• Read and obey all rules and posted signs.
• Children or inexperienced swimmers should take precautions, such as wearing a U.S. Coast Guard-approved personal floatation device (PFD) when around the water.
• Watch out for the dangerous “too’s” – too tired, too cold, too far from safety, too much sun, too much strenuous activity.
• Set water safety rules for the whole family based on swimming abilities (for example, inexperienced swimmers should stay in water less than chest deep).
• Be knowledgeable of the water environment you are in and its potential hazards, such as deep and shallow areas, currents, depth changes, obstructions and where the entry and exit points are located. The more informed you are, the more aware you will be of hazards and safe practices.
• Pay attention to local weather conditions and forecasts. Stop swimming at the first indication of bad weather.
• Use a feet-first entry when entering the water.
• Enter headfirst only when the area is clearly marked for diving and has no obstructions.
• Do not mix alcohol with swimming, diving or boating. Alcohol impairs your judgment, balance, and coordination, affects your swimming and diving skills, and reduces your body's ability to stay warm.
• Know how to prevent, recognize, and respond to emergencies.