CAMBRIDGE — A young girl’s brush with danger ended with a heartwarming recovery after a Vermont state trooper’s heroic actions saved her from an icy pond in December.
The incident occurred around 8:50 a.m. on Dec. 17 when an 8-year-old girl and her siblings were playing on a pond’s surface at a private property on East View Road.
The ice unexpectedly broke, plunging two of the children into the frigid water.
The property’s 80-year-old owner managed to rescue one child near the shore but could not reach the 8-year-old who had fallen near the middle of the deep pond.
Trooper Michelle Archer, on routine patrol in the vicinity, rushed to the scene after the homeowner’s 911 call.
Arriving in less than five minutes, Archer quickly utilized a throw rope and flotation device from her cruiser to save the girl.
After shedding her duty belt, Archer dove into the near-freezing pond, secured the child, and swam back to safety.
Trooper Keith Cote then assisted by carrying the girl to an ambulance.
The child, initially facing life-threatening injuries, was treated at the University of Vermont Medical Center in Burlington and has fully recovered.
Archer, after changing into dry clothes, continued her duties, requiring no medical attention.
Both Troopers Archer and Cote, as well as the homeowner, have been acknowledged for their bravery by Vermont State Police leadership and are nominated for the Lifesaving Award.
