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Fremont County employee saves 5-year-old with autism from drowning at Waubonsie State Park

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SIDNEY, Iowa (KMTV) — The Fremont County sheriff Kevin Aistrope said in a news release that, at approximately 07:42 a.m. on Friday, his office received a 911 call about a possible drowning at Waubonsie State Park. The caller said a 5-year-old child was rescued from a pond at the park.

According to the sheriff's release:

Deputies learned that Terry Travis, a Fremont County Secondary Roads Department employee, was traveling through the park when he observed a small child standing on the dock at the Waubonsie Park pond alone. Travis observed the child jump into the pond and he took action. Travis exited his vehicle and ran towards the pond where he heard the child screaming and then he observed the child go under the water. Travis reached into the water and pulled the child to safety.

The family, who had been looking for the child, arrived on scene a short time later. The child was checked by Sidney Rescue at the scene and transported by private vehicle to a Nebraska hospital for evaluation.

It was reported that the child, who is autistic, had wandered away from a cabin in the park.

The Fremont County Sheriff’s Office would like to thank Mr. Travis for his quick action and saving the life of this child.

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