Man dies trying to rescue girl from pond

2 years ago 458

CHARLESTON — The aunt of a 10-year-old miss warring for her beingness aft falling done pond ice spoke of the calamity Sunday, and praised the bravery of the young gramps who died trying to prevention her.

Ma’Liyah White was aboriginal airlifted for attraction and is present being cared for astatine a infirmary successful Peoria, wherever she remains successful captious condition, according to her aunt, Amanda Beals.

In Facebook postings, Beals described Ma’Liyah’s bosom being restarted by aesculapian teams aft firefighter divers had pulled her from beneath the crystal of the frozen pond Saturday morning.

“However, we don’t cognize astir encephalon relation yet,” said Beals of her niece. “She is simply a beardown small miss and erstwhile we were telling her we emotion her earlier they took her away, her caput was turning a small bit, truthful we are hopeful that’s a bully sign.”

The family

Pictured, from left: Carlos Serafin, Ma'Liyah White, Bill Croy and Bailey Croy.

She identified the grandfather, whose assemblage was besides recovered by dive teams, arsenic Carlos Serafin, 31. Beals said Ma’Liyah had ventured onto a pond adjacent wherever she lives connected East County Road 620 North, pursuing respective favored dogs that had walked retired onto the ice. Ma’Liyah past fell done the ice, and Beals said different of her nieces who saw the mishap happen, 8-year-old Bailey Croy, ran to get help.

Beals said her brother, Bill Croy, and Serafin dashed to the rescue. “Carlos jumped into the pond with a broom instrumentality to effort and prevention Ma’Liyah, but she was already nether the crystal and helium besides got sucked under,” Beals said successful her Facebook post.

“Bill busted the crystal to effort to get to them, but couldn’t find them.”

Beals has launched an entreaty — https://gofund.me/d3cdce89 — to assistance Ma’Liyah’s household with aesculapian and ceremonial expenses. An relationship volition besides beryllium acceptable up astatine the Washington Savings Bank branches successful Mattoon and Effingham. Beals said some Ma’Liyah and Bailey are Bill Croy’s granddaughters and helium has custody of them. Bill Croy is joined to Carlos Serafin, whom Beals described arsenic the girls’ different “abuelo,” oregon grandfather.

“Carlos loved those girls and each of their dogs sooo much,” Beals said successful a Facebook connection to the Herald & Review.

“And we arsenic a household can’t accent capable however overmuch Carlos was a leader and however overmuch helium truly loved his household and would bash thing for them.” Beals besides urged well-wishers to “continue to commune for Bill and Bailey. It’s going to beryllium a agelong roadworthy for everyone.”

Lincoln Fire Protection District Chief Frederick Reynolds said successful a connection that crews from the Charleston Fire Department wearing “protective cold-water suits” had gone into the pond to execute the rescues. They had been called to the country astatine 7:53 a.m. and had recovered and rescued some victims by 8:15 a.m. Chief Reynolds said archetypal responders besides rescued 3 dogs from the pond.

Beals, successful different Facebook post, said 1 of the dogs, called Horchata, had died.

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Contact Tony Reid astatine (217) 421-7977. Follow him connected Twitter: @TonyJReid

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