Clearwater, Florida – A dramatic bodycam video captured the heart-stopping rescue of an 8-year-old girl with autism found dangerously close to the ocean.
The child, who is non-verbal, became lost while visiting Clearwater with her family earlier this month.
Clearwater police said the urgency was extreme, as the girl could not swim.
Officer Billups discovered her among rocks in the water behind a hotel, near a construction site.
The sun was beginning to set when his radio crackled, “Hey!” as he approached the girl playing by the waves.
He carefully scaled the rocks.
“She’s almost in the water, I got to focus on getting her out,” he radioed.
“Hey, give me your hand. Be careful, be careful. Be careful, watch your step,” the officer told her, while waves crashed around them.
They made their way to another officer.
“You want to come with me? Grandma’s worried about you,” the officer said.
Police said if she had fallen into the water, the current could have pulled her under.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Leave a Reply