Police Officer Pulls 8-Year-Old Girl from Frozen Pond

A police officer in Vermont rescued an 8-year-old girl from a partially frozen pond in Cambridge, newly released footage shows.

Bodycam video released by the Vermont State Police, shows Trooper Michelle Archer diving into the freezing pond to pull the girl to shore in December.

The girl and her siblings were playing around the surface of pond, when the thin ice gave way and two children fell into the water, the police force said in statement.

An 80-year-old bystander was able to pull a 6-year-old girl who was near the shore to safety. The 8-year-old was further away, near the center of the deep pond, prompting the bystander to call police.

Archer was on routine patrol and happened to be nearby when the call came in.

Upon arrival Archer grabbed a “throw-rope and flotation device from her cruiser, removed her duty belt, entered the near-freezing pond without hesitation and swam to the girl,” the police department said.

“Trooper Archer secured the girl and swam back to shore, where Trooper Keith Cote, who had just responded to the scene, carried the girl to a waiting Cambridge Rescue ambulance.”

“The girl was brought to the University of Vermont Medical Center in Burlington for treatment of injuries that were initially believed to be life-threatening. She has since made a complete recovery and returned home,” police said. Credit: Vermont State Police via Storyful

Video transcript

MICHELLE ARCHER: Say again. Yeah, yeah. Hey baby. Call rescue! Can you breathe? You're OK, baby. [GRUNTING]

Oh, my God. Here. Wait. Move.

- [MOANING]

KEITH COTE: How many girls in the water?

- Just one.

KEITH COTE: Where's the other one?

- There's one in the--

MICHELLE ARCHER: Keith, she's making noises.

- [MOANING]

MICHELLE ARCHER: She's making noise. Can you grab an arm?

- [MOANING]

MICHELLE ARCHER: Let's bring her over there.

- What are we doing?

MICHELLE ARCHER: Let's bring her closer. [GRUNTS]

- OK. [INAUDIBLE] going to get [INAUDIBLE] clothes. Come here, baby. Come here, baby. Come here, baby. Here, baby.

- Set her down. Set her down right here. Hey, baby. Look here, baby girl. Here, baby girl.

- Michelle, get out of your clothes.

- Come here, baby girl.

- Here we go.

- Bring them right over.

MICHELLE ARCHER: Can you bring them over?

KEITH COLE: Yeah, come here, baby. Here. Help me.

MICHELLE ARCHER: Yeah, grab her.

KEITH COLE: Come on. Come along, baby. Come on, baby. Look what you're doing. Look what you're doing, baby. Come on, baby.

MICHELLE ARCHER: Hey, how's the other one?

- She's cold.

- Is she alert?

- Yeah, yeah. She's walking around.

MICHELLE ARCHER: OK.

- She walked over to the house.

MICHELLE ARCHER: OK. When did you find them?

- [MUTED]

MICHELLE ARCHER: Yeah.

- I'm sure--

MICHELLE ARCHER: Just right when you called.

- Yeah. I think she had already, so.