Just after midnight Tuesday, a man died, and two children were rescued after their car submerged in a retention pond in northeast Indianapolis. According to FOX59, first responders arrived at the 4000 block of Pendleton Way after receiving the report.
The Indianapolis Fire Department, alongside officers from the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department and Lawrence Police Department, extricated 28-year-old Dechon Sims and his two children, an 8-year-old boy and a 9-year-old girl, from the submerged car. IFD Battalion Chief Rita Reith said the officers entered the water "without hesitation" to perform the rescue, despite not knowing the risks they faced, as reported by Fox59. The 28-year-old father was transported to Eskenazi Hospital, where he was later pronounced dead, according to WTHR.
The car was reportedly 15 feet from shore and about 10 feet deep at the time of the rescue. In a statement obtained by FOX59, IFD confirmed that four IMPD officers entered the cold waters for the rescue operation; three needed medical evaluation afterward and were said to be in good condition. The fourth officer was evaluated and released at the scene.
While Sims tragically did not survive, the children were described as stable at Riley Hospital for Children, crediting the "heroic actions and quick thinking" of the officers for saving their lives, according to a statement relayed by WTHR. The reason why Sims' car ended up in the pond is still under investigation, and officials have not disclosed further details regarding the cause or circumstances leading to the unfortunate event, as noted by WISH-TV.
