Mother's Day Miracle | ABC30 Fresno | abc30.com

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By ABC30

Monday, May 11, 2009

Fresno, CA The little girl was airlifted to Valley Children's Hospital after she was pulled from the water. She was in stable condition Sunday night, and park officials say she is lucky to be alive.

Mother's day almost turned tragic on Millerton Lake, after a little girl was found drowning in the water. "She was unconscious underwater. Someone pulled her out and they started CPR on her."

One man, who did not want to be identified, checked the girl's pulse, and then called 911.

He says bystanders were able to revive her, but that she was barely breathing. "It was a team effort. Everyone did a little of everything. When they pulled her out, somebody did chest compressions and mouth to mouth and she started to throw up the water."

Park officials said the little girl was submerged under water for several minutes, but no one noticed because no one was watching her.

Kent Gresham, a Millerton Lake ranger said, "Earlier today, I saw several kids go out on little inflatable rafts and people get in above their swimming abilities and unfortunately we have several possibilities of drownings every year because of unsupervised children."

Chang Yang of Fresno said he's always on high alert. He took his kids to Millerton Lake Sunday. While they swam, he stood on shore, keeping a close eye on them. "Take my kids anywhere, I'm responsible for their lives and that's why I'm out here watching them."

And Millerton Lake park officials said more parents need to do the same. "Parents just need to keep an eye on their children. Keep them very near the shoreline. The shore drops off very steeply, very quickly and so you can go from where the water is at your knees to over your head in the course of just a couple of feet of walking into the lake."

Witnesses said the girl looked to be about ten years old. This was the first near-drowning at Millerton Lake this season.