In a dramatic rescue on November 12, police officers in London, Ohio, saved a missing 5-year-old boy from a dangerous situation after he was found in a nearby creek. The child, who has autism, was reported missing shortly before officers Dylan Fout and Denise Dye discovered him in the icy water.
The sequence of events unfolded as Officer Fout was patrolling on the south side of the city. Around 5 p.m., Fout noticed a young boy walking alone on a sidewalk. Acting on his instinct and training, he immediately turned around to check on the child. However, by the time he approached the location, the boy had vanished from view. A sense of urgency quickly spread among the officers, and they began a coordinated foot search of the surrounding area.
Around the same time, a 911 call was received, reporting a missing 5-year-old boy with autism. The London Police Department quickly connected the dots and intensified their search. Within minutes, Officers Fout and Dye discovered the boy lying on his back in a nearby creek. The water, measured at 3 feet deep and a chilling 40 degrees, posed a grave threat to the young child.
In a moment captured on police body-camera footage, Officer Fout rushed into the frigid water to rescue the boy. The footage, later released on social media, shows Fout wading into the creek and pulling the child out to safety. While the boy was conscious, he began to vomit immediately after being lifted from the water, raising serious concerns for his well-being. Medics arrived at the scene and transported him to Madison Health for observation.
Thankfully, after receiving treatment, the boy was released from the hospital and is expected to recover fully. The quick response and heroic actions of Officers Fout and Dye undoubtedly saved his life.
The London Police Department praised the officers’ life-saving efforts, highlighting Fout’s keen observations and swift response. “We would like to recognize Ofc. Fout’s excellent patrol observations and quick actions in saving the child from imminent danger,” the department said in a public statement.
This incident is a reminder of the vital role first responders play in ensuring public safety and how their swift actions can have life-altering impacts.
London, a city located about 30 miles west of Columbus, now sees two of its officers hailed as local heroes for a rescue mission that could have ended in tragedy.