A Florida police officer is being praised a hero after bravely jumping into a pond to save a drowning infant — putting her life at risk as she reportedly did not know how to swim well.
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OMG! Florida Police Officer Who Can’t Swim Bravely Jumps Into Pond To Save Drowning Infant
While the incident happened back on June 9, 2022, the police body camera footage is now being released showing the scary, but heroic, moment when officer Me’Atia Sanderson — who has been with the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office since 2019 — saved drowning baby.
The police body camera video shows the harrowing rescue. Officer Sanderson was the first law enforcement agent to arrive to the scene back in June. Upon arrival, she was told that the baby was still in the water.
Despite not knowing how to swim, Officer Sanderson sprints and jumps into the retention pond to pull the young child from the water. In the body camera video released, the officer is seen submerged in the water for at least 30 seconds, before making her back to a grassy area.
Once back on land, Officer Sanderson desperately tried to perform life-saving efforts on the baby, conducting CPR until additional responding officers and EMTs arrived and took over rescue efforts — this is when the footage ends.
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Speaking on the actions of a fellow officer on the force, officials at the Jacksonville Fire Rescue Department and Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office acknowledged Officer Sanderson’s “quick and decisive decisions to go into the retention pond.”
They added, “Her actions, while putting her own life at risk, undoubtedly saved the child’s life.”
Also speaking on Officer Sanderson’s heroic efforts, the department said, “As we continue our #weekofthanks, we at the #JSO are thankful that we have officers like Ofc. Sanderson, who day in and day out, take on the challenges and dangers of this job. Our community would not be what it is without them.”
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