On Friday afternoon, at about 4:00pm, a Stamford resident was walking at Greenwich Point with her two children and dog when her double stroller with her toddler and infant slid down the embankment at the edge of the causeway and into the water of Eagle Pond.
Photo of embankment at Tod’s Pt where baby carriage went slid down to water. Courtesy Greenwich Police
According to a statement from Greenwich Police Chief Jim Heavey, Police received a single 911 call reporting that two children, a toddler and an infant in a carriage, had entered the water at Eagle Pond, on Greenwich Point parkland adjacent to Long Island Sound.
“At this time, we believe that both the infant and the toddler will be released shortly to their parents,” Heavey said in the statement released around 8:00pm. “The incident is under investigation by our patrol staff and we are most grateful for the keen observation and quick action of Officer Tom Heustis, which averted what could have been a most serious disaster.”
Officer Heustis was off duty at the time, and was also enjoying the beautiful spring day at Greenwich Point, immediately dove into the water and rescued both the 13-month-old and the six-week old infant. He passed the six week old baby to the mother and went back and got the 13-month-old.
According to Greenwich Police, while the mother stopped to talk to a friend, the carriage was placed on even ground, but suddenly tipped over and slid down an embankment. The carriage slid approximately 7 feet down the embankment and struck a large rock that dislodged the two baby carriers from the lower portion of stroller. The two children then went in opposite directions and into the water.
According to Police three bystanders arrived almost immediately and assisted the mother and children. The mother and two infants were transported to the Stamford emergency room as a precautionary measure after the event.
The parents of the children have conveyed through police they would like their identities to remain anonymous, but wanted to thank everyone for their help, especially Officer Heustis, who they described as “tremendous.”
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