A group of four boys ranging in age from 8-17 was hanging out by a canal behind their California home looking for fish earlier this week. Then they saw something a little bigger in the fast-moving water. They thought it was a doll.
Instead it was a 3-year-old girl, Alice Falk. She'd somehow managed to wander away from her home and fall into the canal. She had floated for about a half mile while her family was frantically searching for her. According to the Visalia Times-Delta, she was unconscious and not breathing when they jumped in to save her.
Hogan, 17, Victor Vasquez Jr., 12, George Castillo, 13, and Robert Vasquez, 8, were able to get her out, but she wasn't in good shape. Gilbert told the Fresno Bee: "She was unconscious. She was pale and purple. I thought, 'This girl is going to die.' "
Then they ran to get help from one of their fathers, Victor Vasquez. He was able to give her CPR. “It was just instinct,” he told the paper. “At that moment, I forgot everything. I was in shock. I have never experienced anything like that.”
But it worked. The girl responded, and shortly thereafter an ambulance arrived. She's expected to make a full recovery. It's an amazing story of luck, heroic action by these boys, and ultimately a happy ending. It could have just as easily ended in tragedy.
Sadly, however, some in the town weren't content with that, instead they went and attacked the mother of the girl for letting her girl wander away. Farmersville Police Chief Mario Krstic said they were trying to get "maybe a little street justice," which is so very wrong.
Police say it was just an unfortunate accident, and people should leave it at that. I'm sure this mother is punishing herself more than anyone else ever could.
As for the boys, the town may officially recognize them as heroes. In any case, they certainly have a wonderful topic for those "What I did on my summer vacation" pieces when they return to school.
What's the best thing your children have done this summer?
Image via ABC30
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Comments 30
Coming from a mother who suffered losing my own 21 month old daughter due to drowning in a neighbors pond 10 years ago, my heart goes out to this family and I am so glad their outcome was different than my own. 10 years ago I was a young mother who didn't quite have the common sense of parenting that I have now. Visiting my dad in the same home that I grew up in, thinking it was perfectly safe and turning my back for 5 minutes on my little girl. I blame myself each and every single day for my own stupidity, accidental as it was. I will never forgive myself for not putting the locks high enough, for thinking she was watching cartoons while I was finishing up that load of dishes, for not checking on her every 2 minutes instead of 5. Trust me, the guilt will eat her alive without everyone else pushing it down her throat. I know, I live it every single day. She is serving her prison sentence for this accident in her own mind daily.
Accident or not you keep your eyes on the child at all times especially when there is a canal near by! For their irresponsibility the child almost died! I blame who ever was watching her and they should be ashamed they need to watch their kid a lot better then that!!
@Tiffany....so, she should take her to the toliet with her when she's taking a crap? For all you know she was using the bathroom, for all you know she had her backed turned while doing dishes and turned around and she was gone. It's IMPOSSIBLE to keep your eyes on your children at ALL times. The only possible way to do that is to have your child strapped to the front of you like an infant...I hope you never have to deal with an incident like this....but I guess you won't because you're perfect, right?
This is my opinion okay you don't have to be rude!! Some people.. I'm just glad the little girl is okay they are lucky! and Kudos to those boys who saved her!
@ilovemyredneck....It's easier coming from a person who has never had to endure such a loss, but don't beat yourself up so much. You can play it over and over in your mind about what you coulda, shoulda, have done but it's called an accident for a reason. It was purly accidental! Plus, she is with God and in his paradise where you will be joined with her one day. She's waiting patiently for you and looks down on you hoping you would stop living in your "prison" and enjoy the beautiful life you have! Take care!
It's called putting a fence around your house or getting some locks on the doors!! I am a parent and my kids don't even try to go out our front door and it is ALWAYS locked! If I lived by a canal that's only a few steps from my house I would do everything I had to make sure an accident like this would never happen! That's called being a responsible parent some people need to learn how to be one or don't have kids..because having a kid almost lose their life bc of your stupidity isn't just an accident! I'm done commenting back to you all I just think it's wrong that a kid almost loses it's life and you think it's okay and just an accident.. IF you truly care for your kid you do anything you have to to make sure they are safe and if you have to turn your back on them make sure they can't get out of your house and drown DUH!