TOOELE COUNTY, Utah — An 8-year-old girl has been released from the hospital and is back with family after being rescued from a Tooele County lake Wednesday and given CPR by a bystander who saw her struggling to swim.
The Tooele County Sheriff's Office said it received a call of a possible drowning at Stansbury Lake just before 6 p.m. When deputies arrived, they found that a large group of girls had been practicing to swim while in the water.
A teenage older sibling of one of the girls was with the group in the lake, the sheriff's office said Thursday.
While the girls were in the lake, two similarly-aged children began to struggle, with one being able to get to shore on her own, while the other 8-year-old was pulled from the water by someone walking nearby.
The bystander who rescued the girl and another person performed CPR on the girl, who became responsive after a few moments.
"Hearing about that is pretty crazy because I have a kid. He’s six, and I mean, at least for me. I wouldn’t trust my kid alone at any kind of swimming hole,” said Rayden Busico, who was fishing at the lake Thursday.
When medical teams arrived, they found the girl "conscious, talking, and alert," according to the sheriff's office, and she was transported to the hospital in an unknown condition. The girl was released from the hospital later Wednesday night.
"CPR is one of those things that you hope to never use, but when you need it, you’ve got to do it right,” said Jon Smith with the North Tooele Fire District.
Those out at Stansbury Lake on Thursday spoke about being out on the water and the extra steps they take to be safe.
“Especially with a younger person, keep [a] life vest on just to be safe,” said Busico.
In Tooele County alone, there have been seven drownings in the past 12 months.
"All of which could have been prevented with a life jacket," explained Smith.
The sheriff’s office wrote a note on social media extending "sincere appreciation to the two individuals whose swift actions helped save this young girl’s life. Their willingness to step in without hesitation undoubtedly made a critical difference in today’s outcome."
For most people performing CPR, officials recommend continuous chest compressions. North Tooele Fire District says the American Heart Association offers great CPR resources and courses.
Red Cross also offers water safety tips and drowning prevention awareness on its website.
