Bodycam footage shows police officer save 12-year-old who nearly drowned in pool
The life of a 12-year-old boy was saved through the efforts of bystanders and first responders after a drowning incident in a hotel pool
By Paula Wethington
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WARREN, Michigan (WWJ) — The life of a 12-year-old boy was saved through the efforts of bystanders and first responders after a drowning incident in a hotel pool, the Warren Police Department of Michigan reported.
The youth has since been released from the hospital “and is expected to make a full recovery,” the department said Thursday.
A press release, audio from a 911 call and bodycam video provided by police related the following details:
A frantic 911 call was placed about 6:55 p.m. from the TownPlace Suites Hotel pool area. A female caller said, “I have a kid in the pool. I think he drowned. He’s not breathing.”
The dispatchers asked, “Is he out of the pool?”
“He is out of the pool, yes,” was the reply.
Officer Brooklier was already at the hotel handling an unrelated call, and ran to the pool room after getting notification from dispatch about the situation. He arrived at a chaotic scene with the youth on the pool room floor, unresponsive and not breathing. Bystanders had already started efforts for cardiopulmonary resuscitation.
“Amidst panicked bystanders attempting CPR, Officer Brooklier took charge, placing the child in a rescue position, and initiating chest compressions. For two crucial minutes, Officer Brooklier continued chest compressions, all the while coordinating with bystanders and communicating with incoming first responders,” the report said.
The bodycam video showed those efforts:
Some of the people gathered around the pool room chanted “Come on! Come on!” Others said, “Can you hear me?”
Then a voice said, “He’s got a pulse.”
“Officer Brooklier successfully revived the child just as the Warren Fire Department arrived on scene,” the press release said.
The Warren Fire Department came into the pool room with medical equipment and took the boy to a local hospital, while other emergency crews blocked traffic from intersections to allow a faster drive. Family members arrived at the hospital shortly afterward.
“The child has since been released from the hospital and is expected to make a full recovery per his parents,” the press release said.
“With a child’s life in danger, the seamless coordination between Warren Police Dispatch, Officer Brooklier, and the Warren Fire Department proved invaluable,” the department said. “From the dispatchers’ swift communication to Officer Brooklier’s decisive and rigorous CPR and the Fire Department’s rapid transport aided by other officers blocking intersections, each element played a crucial role in saving this child’s life.
“While Officer Brooklier’s immediate action and unwavering commitment to CPR were heroic and no doubt pivotal in reviving the child, this successful rescue stands as a testament to the collective dedication and collaborative spirit of Warren’s first responders, highlighting our shared commitment to protecting and serving the community.”
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