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Subscribe to RSSRescue crews continue to search for a 6-year-old Oregon girl that has been missing since Sunday, when she fell into the icy Clackamas River. KGW-TV's Mark Hanrahan reports.
ESTACADA, Ore. -- An Oregon man raced along the rain-swollen Clackamas River but couldn't keep up with his 6-year-old daughter who had fallen into the stream and was swept downriver, authorities said.
Rescue workers searched without success Monday for Vinesa Snegur, who fell Sunday into the river, running fast and cold from a recent winter storm.
The Clackamas County sheriff's office said the search would resume Tuesday.
"It was just a second of inattention," sheriff's Sgt. James Rhodes said of the little girl's fall, explaining that her father turned away, "then splash, and she fell in. He ran and tried to keep up with her, but he was unable to."
Rhodes said the girl and her parents, Igor and Marina Snegur, are from southeast Portland and drove Sunday to play in the snow. They parked near Austin Hot Springs in the Mount Hood National Forest where a road is close to the stream.
The spot is about 60 miles southeast of Portland. There's no cell service, and the family couldn't call for help until they got to a phone at a ranger station an hour later, Rhodes said.
Rick Bowmer / AP
A member of the Multnomah County Sheriff Search and Rescue team searches along the Clackamas River for 6-year-old Vinesa Snegur on Monday.
The water temperature Monday was just above freezing, and the river is carrying a heavy load of trees and roots, imperiling rescue workers, he said.
About 50 ground searchers and divers suspended their search at nightfall Monday. A helicopter with thermal imaging equipment also was used to scan the river.
Purple jacket, pink hat
Steve Duin, who joined the search and wrote about it in a column for The Oregonian, said that by noon Monday about 50 people had joined the search, including divers in the water and relatives of the child, who was wearing a purple jacket, pink hat and white pants when she fell.
"Flares have been set out on the road into Austin Hot Springs, the smoke drifting over the divers and the bridge. The black ice is long gone as I slide down the hill, but I slow each time the river comes into view, searching for a blink of purple or pink somewhere," he wrote.
The Oregonian reported that Vinesa's parents were still on the mountain "surrounded by family and trauma specialists" late on Monday.
A series of storms stretching from coast to coast brought snow and ice to the Pacific Northwest, grounded planes in Chicago and 2012's first snow to the Northeast. NBC's Bill Karins and the Weather Channel's Mike Seidel report.
At Vinesa's Mill Park Elementary School, about 140 students visited a special 21-person crisis counseling team Monday, The Oregonian reported. Barbara Kienle, students services director, said half a dozen employees, including some of Vinesa's teachers, also talked to counselors.
"She has many friends," Principal Rolando Florez told the newspaper. "There were lots of sad kids in her class today."
Like many streams in western Oregon, the Clackamas River is swollen by heavy rain that fell late last week as a winter storm moved into the region. The storm caused flooding in many communities in the Willamette Valley.
A mother and her 1-year-old son died after a creek swept away their car from an Albany, Ore., parking lot. A father and his son were able to escape.
Most streams have receded, but more rain is been forecast this week in western Oregon, raising the possibility of more floods.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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Heartbreaking..............
I know the likely hood of two people drowing would be huge if the dad went in after her but as a father I gotta say....if my little girl was in that situation...I'm going in
brian...If she were my only child I would do the same, knowing full well I'd probably die with her. But if I had other children, my thoughts of them would not let me.
What a horrible position to be in.
The father probably thought he could keep up better by running along side her rather than trying to jump in and swim after her.
I'm sure that in the heat of the moment, one might have jumped in. But, you really can't jump in. It would most definitely be suicide. The father did the best he could. I feel so horrible for that man.
I also can't fathom the horror this child had to endure. My God be with you little one!
Rest in peace little girl :(
This is terrible, terrible, terrible. What a heartbreaking story.
I have to agree that I'm jumping in. My mindset would be that both she and I would be travelling at the same speed due to the current and I could gain speed by swimming with the current to reach her. If I failed, it would be a double tragedy, I guess, but that wouldn't stop me from trying. This is a horrible tragic story and my prayers are with the family and friends of this little girl.
What happened to sledding? Why would you take your family to an icy ragging river to play?
The question has to be asked, why would you get that close to a raging river?
It only takes one second of inattention for a tragedy like this to happen. How utterly heartbreaking for that man, I can't even imagine the loss and guilt he's going through, my thoughts and prayers go to him and his family. I can only hope they find this poor child alive.
They are obviously Russian Immigrants (Based on Names). I have issues to this day with my 7 year old daughter and her Russian mother. I hear all kinds of (mis)adventures my ex and her current Russian husband take her on. Walking on Frozen lakes (in Virginia, not a very smart thing to do) Leaving a 6 year old alone while going shopping....? I wonder how those people reason and I WAS married to one....
@brian,
I'm with you Brian, how could you not?
Was there a crocodile in there? no? then there's no excuse for not jumping in after your helpless child coward.
yes, it does only take one sec of inattention for stuff like this to happen.
I guess thats why most people, never put their kids that close to danger to begin with.
that poor little girl is paying the price for her parents stupidity, such a horrific shame.
I dunno, I think hs321 has a point. The story doesn't say if the father knew how to swim or was a strong swimmer, there was no point in him jumping in if he couldn't swim or knew he couldn't fight that current. I know how to swim, but I'm not Michael Phelps by any means, and I have four kids. If one of them fell in, I would do anything I could to save her, but I would not throw my life away and leave three other kids motherless (or fatherless, in this guy's case). I'm sure he did everything he could to save her, short of drowning himself.
River bank covered with ice, raging current, and this guy takes a little kid so close to water? No imagination, no concept of safety, no survival skills.
Depending on the depth of the river in this particular area, jumping in might have been a good idea. In a water this cold you have maybe 5 minute window of opportunity to save the child and yourself.
We are guardians, people... prevent and protect at all cost.
The father was, in the best sense, enjoying the blessings of life, his little daughter. I ache for him, the mother, and all the family. Donne was so right. The death of one diminishes us all. I wish, like so many, She could be brought back. Grieve now. It is sorrows only salve.
I know these Oregon rivers. steep banks, fast water. She didn't have to be right at the edge, it is quite possible the edge crumbled, and even if several steps back, could go in. Folks die in the Oregon Coastal Range rivers all year round, This is some of the wildest, yet most beautiful area in the entire United States. Many areas are near perfect for sledding or playing in the snow, yet hazards lurk everywhere. I suspect when she fell in, the extreme cold probably shocked her system pretty badly, and while I am sure she drowned, I am also fairly sure she did not suffer long, as the current would have pulled her under fairly quickly. This river, and most of the others in the Coastal and Cascade ranges are tough even for experts. You aren't going to swim in them in most areas, and even in the summer, they are too cold to remain in for very long. These mountains are nothing like the Piedmont range and other older ranges east of the Rockies.
By all logical means I would not have jumped in an icy, raging, river to save my child that was being swept away and more than likely die in the process. Not to mention leaveing my family behind. BUT MY LOGIC would be the last thing to kick in my head in a situation like this! Any father who truely loves his children would understand that, when it comes to saving your child from death, you will risk EVERYTHING to rescue him/her. Just imagining the pain and terror that my child would face in a moment like this would make me jump in after her just so she knows that daddy's coming and that she won't be alone.
I'm not blaming the father for anything, nor am I accusing him of not jumping in. At least he's alive and can be there for his family and I grieve for him because I can't believe the psychological torment he must be facing right now. I'm saying this so people understand why others would agree to jump in after their child. It's not because we think we can save him/her, but because a father's love for his child can overcome all logical reasoning. I know what I would have done. Probably not the smartest thing, jumpin in. But at least I would have died alongside my child.
Please remember; when we are about to make an unintended mistake we are not aware of it. If we were we would avoid it.
It's sad but if people don't spend time around rivers like this they might just be ignorant to the danger. Rivers look pretty and can be a lot if fun but you have to respect even the lazy and shallow ones. They are powerful and unpredictable. When I was a kid one thing we heard all the time: "stay away from that river!" or "don't play around that river!" which referred the Monongahela where I live. Hopefully other people learn from this and don't make the same mistake.
Still my heart aches for this family.
A truely sad story. But what was her father thinking allowing her in such a dangerous situation to start out with?
How convenient, Go somewhere you shouldn't be, where there is no cell signal, toss your kid in the water and call it an accident. I'm not buying this BS. They drove a long way to get there....why? Sounds suspect to me.
my opinion, you are a tool!
Pretty nasty, sick comment there 'my opinion nation' - go back to your FoxNews and dreaming up conspiracy theories you rotton S.O.B.!
There will always be those who suspect EVERYTHING and can't believe it was what it was...a family oting to enjoy the snow. Remember what that was like? To be a kid and see snow?
She was 6, guys...kids don't know to be careful like they should sometimes, and the father, like they said, just turned away for a moment...like you NEVER did that with your kids?
I am quite sure that the father cannot be made to feel any worse than he does already.
Have some compassion and stop trying to make everything into a conspiracy.
Well, unfortunately myopinion has a valid point. Law enforcement has to look at all the scenarios and the one articulted by MO has to be either discounted or validated. It has nothing to do with FoxNews uncadeez, it has to do with solid, reputable police work.
Anyone who has kids knows it's impossible to watch your kid every second. With that said, they should of been nowhere near an icy ragging river.
Accident or not the parents showed a huge lack of common sense.
My opinion, it is your American RIGHT to make comments, HOWEVER, sometimes it is also your right to keep your trap shut. A precious child has been lost in a horrible accident and your comments are very sick and uncalled for. God forbid this was ever your child in this position. I think after those remarks, we would encourage you to jump in.
it's entirely plausible that myopinions post is accurate.
how many of you would play with your 6 year old, slipping distance away from a icy raging river?
no, seriously...how many of you would?
now that narrows us down to the idiots...and the evils, doesnt it?
@my opinion nation:
Your opinion reminds me of an old saying: "Opinions are like rectums, everyone has one, but most of them stink". WOW!! Your opinion really stinks!! Keep it to yourself. No wonder the community chose to collapse you insensitve take on this.
Are you one of those "conspiracy theory" people? jeez..
I couldn't even begin to imagine what that would feel like to see your helpless child swept away like that
I totally agree. I can't imagine a nightmare like that, and don't want to.
I used to read these stories with such a logical eye but now that I am a dad I see the world through totally different eyes. I would have a literal hear attack/nervous breakdown/bout of depression at the SAME time watching this as a dad. I feel so bad for them :(
I knew it wouldn't be long before the blame game started. Have you ever put your child in a car? Do you know the odds of that child being killed in an accident? Pretty soon we won't be able to leave the house with our children, but then, there are many dangers in the house too! The "everything bad that happens could have been prevented and must be somebody's fault" mantra is WAY too pervasive in this culture. Safety is not liberty and restrictions on liberty are anything BUT life!
Condolences to this family, how terribly sad.
Sorry sparrow,
Daily activities are part of life. Deciding to take your family to an icy ragging river to play is a complete lack of common sense.
Blame game you call it? It's more like deductive reasoning.
First you don't allow a child near a ragging river period. Secondly you especially don't let your child near a ragging river full of ice after a rain storm while it's freezing outside.
Is this supposed to have some poignant meaning? No form of liberty is in jeopardy by simply using common sense.
It is very sad, it's sad a child died because parents lack common sense.
I am also a father, this story angers me more than anything. This was completely avoidable.
When Michael Jackson held his child out of the window, (which was stupid) people, especially the media went crazy with comments, but he held her....now if i was walking my six year old along an icy river, her hand would be in mine and I wouldn't let go and if she did happen to go into the water I would hope it didn't take me more than five seconds to realize it and I would go after her...It amazes me that someone could take a six year old for a walk along an icy river and let take their eyes off the child for a split second and something as tragic as that could happen...."a second of inattention"...meaning he saw the child a safe distance from the water and looked away for one second "tick" no tock and he looked again and the child is in the water and he doesn't even see her anymore.....did I get that right?
Sparrow - on your advice, im going to find all the kids I can manage...and get them into a jolly game of frogger...on the busiest interstate I can find.
I would hate to restrict their liberty ya know.
and when the first one gets hits and die...dont you DARE play the blame game with me sparrow, I simply took my eye off her for a second..and SPLAT.
but ya know, thats how the game is played...and I will tell all the kids, DONT GET HIT!
im sure they'll listen.
Jump in after her...... Yes the water is cold, yes you'll likely drown too, but the chance to save her would have doubled.
How about you taken an "advice" break. The girl is dead.
to all you clowns saying that jumping in after the girl would have saved her you couldnt be more wrong. one hypothermic child cannot be saved by hypothermic adult. try doing some research into the physiological consequences. the blood vessles would have constricted leaving his arms and legs useless. he would not have been able to swim, much less perform cpr, or even provide a dry warm body to heat up his hypothermic child.
This broke my heart. How wrenching for a parent to watch their small child be swept away in cold, rushing water, knowing...there's...very...little...hope...if...any...
So incredibly sad. :'(
you are not using your head
he could have caugth up with her faster because swimming with the current
is not like running on rocks
also he had all the supplies for afterward to warm up
not to disagree with a chance of drowning
but i think it would have been worth the try
scared of death? it comes no matter what
better to die helping
than to die fruitless
How many times do we read about multiple drownings due to rescue attempts? All the time! None of us was there but a swollen stream carrying a heavy load of logs and tree roots would likely make it impossible to swim, BTW, ever try to swim in really fast moving water? Normal swimming isn't even possible. The father would almost certainly have been lost too. That would have compounded the tragedy and left the family without their patriarch. Better to die helping than die fruitless, NO, better to live with the heartache and take care of the rest of your family, that is the intelligent thing to do, that is the responsible thing to do. Condemning the family/father for a moments inattention is heartless and cruel given that we don't/can't know all the circumstances that played out during that fateful moment. My heart goes out to the family and especially to the father who is blaming himself for a moment's inattention that cost him his daughter.
if he had, then there would be a story of a father and daughter dead. That river where they were is very fast moving, they both would have swept down stream without a chance of getting back to shore before freezing to death.
sighber...
well said.
And my sincere condolences to the family enduring this horrible tragedy.
I think I would prefer to die trying than to watch helplessly. That is the message I take from this.
Gallows is right, especially in water near freezing. You would have about 2-3 minutes before you would be hopelessly incapable of even saving yourself.
What part of "she was swept away" don't any of you understand? Have you ever been on the edge of rushing water? Do you realize that he was too far to reach her as soon as she hit the water? He ran to catch up so he COULD jump in, but the water was too fast. Had he jumped in right away, he'd never have been able to find her, as she was already down-river. The poor man did what he could, but his efforts were futile against the SPEED of the rushing water.
@ Father of four 5059102: My thoughts exactly!! I would have died along side any one of my four children! Or save them at my own expense!
Father of four and Keith,it might not have been that simple.You don't know all of the variables in this case.Like you guys,I would have just jumped in after my child,but we can sit here and say that all day without knowing exactly what was going on.Gallows is right,it probably wouldn't have helped if the dad did jump in.Don't judge this man,you don't know all of the circumstances,and I'm sure he's judging himself enough for everyone.If he had jumped in and drowned,then what? We say the mom should have jumped in to get both of them out? Sometimes there is no easy way.
Hypothermia sets in within 1 minute, and then you are so cold and disoriented that there would have been two deaths.
Leave the dad alone. He did his best.
Sonya...Good post. I think that the dad was probably going to jump in after her as soon as he caught up with her or had a chance to make the grab. The river didn't allow that to happen. Who knows, maybe, she was told to stay away from the water, but you know how kids and water are...they just can't seem to miss a mud puddle. There is no reason to blame anyone. It was a tragic accident and those involved will suffer until the day they die. Isn't that enough for those that think they would drown with the child? What would be enough? How much punishment would it take to make some posters feel that this father has been vilified enough to satisfy you? Like Sonya said..."Leave the dad alone. He did his best." In order to have any chance of saving his child, he needed to be alive to do so...He obviously knew that and was looking desperately for an opportunity that he didn't get....Just a whirlpool or a bend that would bring his daughter closer to shore. He and his wife just didn't get the break they deserved. Very sad.
Hey Whiny people. Especially Gallows, stop it. You don't have a clue. That is your child, period. Die if you must, it's better than living knowing you didn't try. What if they find her body 20 feet from where he gave up? And besides, ever jump in to an icy river after someone, I have, still here. It takes love and courage, not brains. Play your safe scenarios and I play mine. Jump in immediately so the gap does not grow, grab your kid and try for the bank. There were other people there to help warm you back up. When your child is in the water and going to die you should react not think. You have Adrenaline running through you and don't really feel the cold for the first 2 minutes. Then it gets painfull but what is the alternative, stay dry and live with the fact that you didn't try and your kid is dead. Sorry just put a bullet in my head right now rather than living with the fact that I was a coward and my child is dead and I'm alive.
Ken, quit trying to make yourself sound like such a freakin' hero, and a judge over this guy. I've jumped into icy rivers too. Even ones in summer that are fed by glacier melt. You DO feel the cold, immediately, and it can be overwhelming. You might be stronger if you're used to it, but if this guy wasn't used to it, or didn't know how to swim very well, it would have killed him and I'm sure he knew it.
You say there were other people there. Yeah, the mother, who else? It doesn't say he had a whole crowd of helpers there, and the mother likely would not have had the strength to pull two sodden bodies to shore.
Throwing away common sense in the name of "courage" or whatever you want to call it is just sheer stupidity. The river was storm swollen, full of debris, and deadly. Don't judge him when you weren't there and you have NO idea what his capabilities were.
Sighber "that is the intelligent thing to do, that is the responsible thing to do" - actually, not taking your 6 year old to the edge of a fast moving, swollen icy river...would have been the intelligent thing to do.
we've clearly confirmed, this man (family) lacked the intelligence to start.
so in the end, he was just a coward. end of story.
And what color is the bubble that you keep your children in? Guess we should throw him in jail? Nice to be so judgmental, I'm sure you sleep well at night!
To those posting that they would rather die than live with the fact that they lost a child, I can empathize with the sentiment but, leaving your family for the sake of a hero's legacy isn't noble, it is only compounding a tragedy and leaving your family with even more grief and more sorrow. NOT smart, not reasonable, not noble, in fact, it is a somewhat narcissistic act. This man did try to save her by chasing after her from the river bank. I dare any of you to prove you can swim faster than you can run. She was SWEPT AWAY, that is not an ambiguous statement. There was no hope once she was in. Trying to use this forum as a platform to prove you love your children more than this unfortunate family is somewhat sick. Declaring the father a coward or stupid is pathetic. Go back to your virtual worlds, your video games, movies, books and all the other fantasy realms that have so completely blinded you to reality. Condemning this poor soul, is just rubbing salt into the most painful wound possible and any of you who are so engaged are heartless, hopeless, cruel, mean spirited or if none of those fit, then you are just plain thoughtless.
I don't think the dad intentionally put the child in a dangerous situation. They just happened to be in nature, near water. I doubt he though for a second she'd fall in but freak stuff happens sometimes. One of my relatives was killed in a boat accident, the circumstances of which seem almost impossible. Bad stuff happens and it's not necessarily anyone's fault. So sad for this family.
I agree it is sad. I personally would have jumped in whether or not I died, at least I would have given my child some chance. I'm not judging the father, he had to make a horrible split second decision, I'm just saying my decision would have been diffrent.
As a father I ask the same thing, why not jump into the water and risk your life for hers?
Because you cannot save anyone if you are dead...And he would have been. He might have had a chance to revive his daughter if he had caught a break and she was thrown closer to shore by the rapids. No chance if you make the choice to die because he could never have caught up with her if he was behind her in the icy current. He used his head and drew aces and eights...Very sad for all.
I agree 100%
I do feel terrible for the family, but I have to echo others' sentiment here: a gun pointed at my head could not have prevented me from jumping into that water. Even if I knew that I couldn't possibly save her, I would need to know that I had done everything possible. I don't see how, as a father, I could have stopped trying until either I held her again (alive or not) or was dead myself.
If you've ever swum in cold water, you'd learn you have about one minute before your limbs shut down. I nearly drowned swimming to touch a waterfall at the other side of a pool of water in the summer. The water temperature wasn't that low until I reached the falls and the gushing water.
Unfortunately, parents also have to do life calculations. The loss of the primary income affects remaining children and the wife as well as the emotional and often financial well-being of the father's siblings and parents. Also, his death would affect his yet-to-be born children.
Dad in this case did what he thought he could : run faster than the stream in hopes of actually being able to jump in and rescue his girl. You can bet he ran until he dropped.
This sucks. I have a 5 month old daughter and I would be crushed if anything happened to her. My thoughts go out to the family.
I swam across a raging river once you have to swim really really fast,It would of been my first thought.
But the water temperature was not near freezing. Otherwise you would not be here to post your comment.
I live in Minnesota where its always cold..
DOES THAT SOUND RIGHT?
i would of went into the river with the child not run down the bank side to catch up
doesnt sound right to me
i have been in ice water before
you have like 5 minutes and if you are full of adrenilin
your time is extended till the chemical gets burned up
but with my daugther in the river i think id have an hour of adrenilin
swimming hard and straight to her
but what do i know
only love is more important than loss of life
i would have joined my kid in the drink
Realistically, unless he was a very strong man and a great swimmer he would have died also. The tragedy for the family would have been doubled. It is heartbreaking, but when it's our time to go there's nothing we can do to prevent it or stop it. Truly sad and I'm sure the father is beating himself up enough without help from us.
Exactly Keith, even if I only lasted 5 minutes, that's 5 more minutes of a chance my daughter would have had, instead of no chance.
Colleen...He gave her the best chance by staying alive and trying to keep up with her. If he jumped in the water, he would have been behind her and died. He was looking for a break...A chance to jump in and save her with some intelligent thinking. Running alone an icy river isn't the easiest thing to do--but it gives him the best chance of her being thrown closer to shore by the rapids. Unfortunately, it didn't happen for him. Dead people don't save anyone--They just add to the body count. You judge too harshly.
well said
The cold was only half the equation. The sheer force of the water was the other half. Even if he had been able to fend off the cold, he could easily have been forced under the water by the current and drowned. Once again folks, quit judging him.
Keith, go take a whitewater rafting course in June, then come back and tell me what you would have done. My first instinct as a mother would be to go after them, but who can say what they REALLY would've done unless they are in that situation....
May we take this story as a cautionary tale and not an opportunity to feel superior.
What the frick were they doing that close to the river to begin with? If it is swollen and dangerous why even go close enough to fall in?
What there is no other place to go for a walk or sight see? I am angry that this child had to die, and die a horrible death because the father did not make sure she was in a safe place instead of next to a dangerous river.
What a price to pay for ones arrogance.
I have taken my children to the rivers plenty of times.. they are ordered to stay way back the most I let them do is throw rocks or I may take them to a pocket or pool..
Its not much different unattended, letting your children play next to the freeway..

Perhaps you should read Pleaseandthankyou's post again...
Steven...I have a young niece and nephew...and every chance I get I take them to such places, or else they don't get to see it. My sister and my other niece trust me with their kids...because they know what I like to take them to and that I am always careful with them.
Freak accidents happen, so get a grip.
Young kids don't know to avoid things like that unless they see them for themselves. Logic doesn't apply to a young kid. Yes, the guy probably should have had a firmer grip on her, but it was a freak accident. It's not like he dragged her to the edge and shoved her in! Keeping your kids away from danger doesn't teach them safety, it teaches them to be afraid of the world. We need to keep hold of them, keep them safe, yes. But we don't need to wrap them in bubble wrap and hide them in a closet!
I've said it before and I'll say it again....
WATCH YOUR CHILDREN!
In dangerous situations young children are known for doing potentially dangerous things. The cell phone call or the text message can wait. The joke from another adult can wait. ALL THE OTHER BULL$HIT IN THE WORLD CAN WAIT! Rule of thumb. While walking by a swollen river HOLD ON TO YOUR CHILD'S HAND or better yet STAY THE FU&* AWAY FROM RAPIDLY MOVING, SWOLLEN, FLOOD STAGE RIVERS.
What in the hell are people thinking? Obviously NOT the safety of their children.
Unfriggging real.
Coulda, woulda, shoulda......all of us can say what 'we' would have done, but the truth is that unless we find ourselves in that perdiciment, we really don't know. I can't swim, so jumping in would not be an option for me. I, in turn would need someone to save me, especially in such cold rushing waters. However, running along the river bank in hopes that there would surely be a spot that was shallow, would allow me to then jump in and attempt to save my child. This is sheer horror! To torture this family with statements such as, 'why didn't you do this or that?' 'I would have done this...' You could have done XYZ', is just plain WRONG!
My heart goes out to this family, and I wish them comfort.
In a word, BULL$HIT!!!
What's the next story. Oh, I know, let's pull over on the freeway and get out of the car and take a stroll down the road to get some fresh air and watch the neat trucks go by???
People ARE responsible for the safety of their children. Period.
This child is DEAD because the father did something stupid and he should be held criminally responsible.
What an IDIOT. This was not criminal negligence. How can you even say that?
Because, as you so aptly pointed out, he's an idiot.
The other thing all these people here fail to realize: You all have TIME to think about what you'd do in that situation. Time to think rationally and logically. Time to weigh possible options.
But, in the heat of the moment, when you have only a split-second to act, I guarantee that all you will be able to think about in that moment is "I need to catch up to her!", not "If I do X instead of Y, the odds of me saving her go up..."
Hindsight is 20/20 and all that...
You got it, Stephen. I see all this posting on here about adrenalin giving people strength and such, but do any of you know what adrenalin does to the brain? It can actually fog you rather than making you smarter. In that moment of shock when he realized what had happened, I doubt he had any room for debate about whether he should go in. He did what he thought was the best chance of saving her, by running alongside and trying to spot her instead of blindly jumping in and hoping he could see her in the mess of waves and debris.
What was a six year old girl doing near to an icy river. I wouldn't let my kids get within feet of a street, much less get close to a river, icy or not.
I have to agree. I realize this was an accident but just by being in the situation the father tempted fate. I have two girls and I can tell you I would rather be dead than be in the agony this man is suffering. I myself would not have let my child be in that situation but that is easy for me to say.
Very sad.
Very sad. Condolences for the family. Nothing anyone can say will make this any easier.
Monday morning quarterbacking doesn't help. Dad is already doing plenty of that, and he's a lot harder on himself than any of you could ever be.
This is a horrible story . I can't imagine such sadness ....I know if this were my child I would of jumped in to
try and save her even if this would of cost my life. Condolences for the family .
And that would have made it even harder on the rest of the family...with no possible way to alter the outcome.
Its a parental reaction to jump in.................no choice.
Redefining the word COWARD!!!!!!!!!!!! I think there is something we are not hearing here but I will wait until the whole story comes to light.
Too bad, SFC, that you didn't wait before your callous "coward" comment.
If you mean not jumping in, I think that would be my automatic reaction as a father of 4.
By the time the father jumped in the girl would have been yards away, and if the current is carrying them at the same speed, he would never catch up. The father probably thought he could keep up by running. And perhaps the father can't swim.
the 5 o'clock armchair critics are out in numbers .... but until you are there, the should of>>> could of and even those of you that can not restrain your selves enough in the name calling posters should remember that he is also a father and feels that he might have done better himself. but hind site is easy for everyone to post about is easy sitting in your 5 o'clock arm chair.
I feel sorry for what he is calling himself so I think that I will keep my 20/20 hind site comments to myself I'm that much in control of myself
Ohbummer wrote "If you mean not jumping in, I think that would be my automatic reaction as a father of 4."
I suspect you would do exactly as his father had : try to outrun the water and run until he could not even stand. I'm a father. How does the loss of my life affect remaining and future children as well as the immediate and extended family?
As a father, I would think even more about risking my life to rescue another outside of my family as that is also risking the well-being of my own family.
This is obviously a very sad story with a horrible outcome. However when the weather has been bad which results in swollen streams and rivers full of debris it would probably be best to stay home. This was preventable.
Yep...best to stay inside until all is well...sounds to me like it was the river that was swollen and nothing wrong with the roads...
You can't just hide inside and never let your kids see the world around them.
Stop blaming this all on the parents. It was a simple day out...nothing more...and it went to hell...and this father will never really get over it.
Not letting the child near the water in the first place would have been the thing to do. Heart wrenching.
God needed another angel. Godspeed Vinesa
It is easy to say what one might do in hindsight however, as a parent such as myself, there is an instinct that kicks in when it comes to protecting or saving our children, I had a situation with my 3 y o daughter when we were @ a hotel swimming pool, I looked away for few seconds to fix one of other kid's swim suit when I looked over the children to do a head count, my daughter had somehow jumped into the deep end of the pool, I couldn't scream, or say anything, all I could do is run toward her, as I was running toward her I could see my child fighting to come back up. I'm not a swimmer by any means but I do a mean doggy paddle and plus I know that holding your breath will make you float. My brother-in-law also jumped in with regular clothes on, his cell phone and over $150 in his pocket that we ended up having to fish out from the bottom of the pool...the point is, you just don't stand by and watch something as awful as this happen to your child. I'm not trying to pass judgement, I just couldn't run along side of the bank of the river jumping up and down screaming.
Jumping in a pool is a little different then jumping into a raging river. And I can't help but feel like you're being judgmental. >_<
...and you just admitted to having the same thing happen to you...you looked away for a second...however, your situation was a bit different...you had help...in free standing water...so it IS a little different...
I am so glad your child was saved. Reading this makes me sick to my stomach.
You are also forgetting one other thing about instinct. We all know instinctively that even if we are an Olympic swimmer, we can run faster than we can swim. I bet when you dove into the pool, you FIRST ran to the deep end of the pool, THEN dove in when you coudn't get any closer.
THAT is what the father in the article was likely doing. He wasn't thinking rationally like we can here, and would not have had the state of mind to reason out that the current would allow him to swim faster than he could run. all he (and any parent) would be thinking "I need to catch up to her so I can jump in and get her."
When my son was about 14 months old, we lived in a second story apartment building, with outside cement stairs. One day, on our way somewhere, I went out the door and turned to do something to the side, and my son toddled out and towards the staircase by himself. He was still learning to walk alone, he had no idea how to go down (or up) stairs, and he was toddling towards open cement stairs. I turned, I saw, and what did I do?
At the time, I was trained in first aid and CPR - had used it only once but still, had reacted to an emergency situation like a "professional". So, like a true professional, and parent of my precious little boy, I froze, I panicked, and I started screaming my husband's name. I was not more than 6 or 8 feet from my child, he was not more than 2 or 3 feet from the edge of the stairs, and all I had to do was run a couple of steps - even walk them - and grab my son. Instead, I freeze and my husband came running from inside and quickly scooped him up.
That situation is NOTHING like this father and daughter's situation. I can't imagine what I would have done.
AND NEITHER CAN ANY OF YOU.
Bless that little girl and help her father and family heal.
Okay guys, give it a rest. The article never said he knew how to swim; it only said he thought it was best to
run along the riverbank in order to save her.
Do you not think this man will beat himself up for the rest of his life? No, the river claimed at least two lives
and you smug fools sit at a keyboard and judge him.
You obviously have never been near rushing water. By the time he turned around she had been "swept away", too far for him to reach. His ONLY option was to run, trying to get close enough to jump in and save her. Easy for you to judge from your experience, since a swimming pool remains stationary. The lack of understanding in these comments is astounding to me!
Good post, Sparrow. BTW....Once in the water, you can no longer see the child...He would have lost her anyway and would have lost his life for the error. He did what he could and just didn't get a break.
nice one dad, what a nitwit. God Bless that poor little girl!!
Ava812, a little to judgemental in the first sentence to say God Bless in the second one.
"God Bless that poor little girl?" Where was He when she needed Him?
That would be "too" judgemental unless i am being too picky.
And, that should be a capital 'I'.......if you insist on being picky. :o)
I've fished that part of the river many times; the gravel banks are quite steep and loose--the water churns by so fast and with such power that there's little room for mistake while walking along the bank.