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Former Officers Rescue Woman and Baby from East River
Queens, NY – A dramatic rescue unfolded on Sunday when two retired NYPD officers pulled a woman and a 5-month-old baby from the East River after the woman inexplicably walked into the water with the infant. The incident occurred just before noon, drawing the attention of former officers Kevin O’Donnell and Paul Pinsdorf, who were volunteering at the College Point Halloween parade in Hermon Macneil Park.
According to O’Donnell, who previously served with the NYPD’s 109th Precinct, they heard screams and a cry for help, alerting them to the unfolding situation. “We heard a lot of screaming, and somebody yelled, ‘You guys gotta get over there!'” O’Donnell recounted.
The 30-year-old woman entered the water, holding the baby, with the water reaching her chest. As O’Donnell contacted 911, Pinsdorf, a 20-year veteran of the force, immediately sprang into action. “I go, ‘Kevin, take my stuff – I gotta go in there,'” Pinsdorf told reporters, noting that the baby’s head was nearly submerged at that point.
Pinsdorf bravely entered the water to reach the struggling pair. He described the woman as resistant, requiring him to go “all the way out there and pull her in.”
O’Donnell observed Pinsdorf approaching the woman from behind, as the water had risen to her neck. Pinsdorf managed to secure both the woman and the child.
“He’s a hero. He was the one that grabbed her and pulled her out,” O’Donnell emphasized.
The former officer faced challenges in bringing the woman to shore, including what O’Donnell described as a “language barrier.” The woman reportedly caused a “commotion” as they neared land. Emergency Medical Services (EMS) and the NYPD quickly arrived on the scene, successfully bringing the woman and baby fully out of the water.
The woman was transported to North Shore University Hospital, and the baby was taken to New York Presbyterian, according to the NYPD. The department stated that it remains unclear whether the woman was the baby’s mother or what her intentions were.
Reflecting on the harrowing event, Pinsdorf expressed his satisfaction, stating, “I’m happy, I did a good thing today.”