Several police officers and Good Samaritans were honored on Thursday for rescuing and performing CPR on a child who nearly drowned in a pond in Lake in the Hills in July.
The incident happened around 12:40 p.m. on July 23 in the 1000 block of Mason Lane in Lake in the Hills.
The Huntley Fire Protection District and Lake in the Hills Police Department responded after receiving a report of a water rescue.
Huntley Fire Protection District Battalion Chief Eric Bentley said at the time that a young child was found in a pond on the Boulder Ridge Golf Course.
Bystanders rescued the child from the water and began resuscitative efforts, Bentley said.
Paramedics arrived on the scene and transported the child to Northwestern Hospital Huntley in critical condition.
A LifeNet medical helicopter landed at the hospital and transferred the child to Ann and Robert Lurie Children’s Hospital in Chicago.
On Thursday, Lake in the Hills Police Department Detective John Arient, Officer Christina Busby and Officer James Recchia were recognized during a village board meeting for their rapid response to the scene and prompt actions in providing CPR to the child.
The police department further recognized and honored four community members, Patrick Kalamatas, Steven Green, Matthew Horist and Mark Kroencke, for their “selfless acts of bravery and fast response” in locating the child in the pond and starting CPR.
“All of these individuals were awarded the department’s Award for Saving Human Life and are truly credited with saving the life of the child,” Lake in the Hills Police Department Communications Coordinator Ashley Eccles said.
Sergeant Don Fowler, with his team, Officer Sean Feely, Officer Amanda Schmitt, Officer Louis Zenaty along with Detective Andrew Klem, were honored with the department’s Unit Citation Award.
The officers received that award for their “outstanding performance that day in managing a critical incident with the highest degree of professionalism and compassion,” Eccles said.
In addition, the police department presented Public Safety Telecommunicators Matthew Krows, Aschli Palczynski, Lisa Mattson and Kathleen Menzel with the department’s Unit Citation Award.
The telecommunicators received the award for their “exceptional performance” that day in providing key communications to all the first responders involved in the incident, Eccles added.
“The Lake in the Hills Police Department is very thankful to everyone involved who made it possible for this child to be alive today.”