NEWPORT, Vt. (WCAX) – Authorities say a three-year-old boy remains hospitalized in critical condition after falling through the ice on Lake Memphremagog Saturday,
What was supposed to be a family outing on the lake turned tragic when police say the family of four’s side-by-side vehicle fell through the ice around 5 p.m. on the lake’s South Bay.
Two adults and two children fell into freezing water. The three-year-old boy remains in critical condition after being underwater for what first responders say was up to five minutes.
Newport Police Chief Travis Bingham says despite the recent cold, the ice on the big lake can be unpredictable. “There’s about 13 inches of ice in spots on the lake. The spot where the side-by-side went through was actually about an inch and a half thick. So, it just kind of shows the various depths on the lake right now with the weather and winter that we have had. The ice conditions are not great.”
“Ice basically forms from the top down. We have just not had good cold weather for any amount of time. We, as firefighters, basically treat all ice as completely unsafe,” said Newport Interm Fire Chief Kevin Lacross.
Chief Bingham praised bystanders who helped get the child out and began CPR, saying the outcome could have been very different if they weren’t there. “Started doing the right first aid on this child which, I believe, is the reason why this child is still alive right now,” he said.
A fundraising page for the parents of the child said he is being treated at the University of Vermont Medical Center and has a long road ahead for recovery.
