Officials said the incident happened on Sunday, Feb. 21 around 11:30 p.m.
Sergeant Carl Scowcroft, Trooper Matthew Hess, and Trooper Thomas Rheault were called to the report of a 14-year-old boy who ran away from home and got stuck in a marsh near Sawmill Road in Alloway Township.
When troopers arrived, they entered the water and found the trapped boy, who was breathing slowly and was unresponsive. Due to the frigid temperature of the water, Sgt. Scowcroft made a determination that he needed to take immediate action to save the boy s life, state police said.
Sgt. Scowcroft quickly made his way through the mud as Troopers Hess and Rheault kept their flashlights on the victim.
N.J. troopers rescue unresponsive boy trapped in frigid marsh
Updated Feb 23, 2021;
A trio of New Jersey State Police troopers rescued a 14-year-old boy who was trapped in waist-deep water at a Salem County marsh and showing symptoms of hypothermia, the agency said Tuesday.
The rescue unfolded Sunday around 11:30 p.m. when State Police Sgt. Carl Scowcroft, Trooper Matthew Hess and Trooper Thomas Rheault found the boy stuck in the frigid water near Sawmill Road in Alloway Township after the teen ran away from home, according to police.
“When troopers arrived to the area, they entered the water and discovered the trapped boy, who was breathing slowly and was unresponsive,” State Police said in a statement.
See dramatic rescue of boy from freezing marsh
After watching this video released by New Jersey State Police I have no doubt in my mind this kid’s life was saved by troopers.
Nearing midnight on Sunday State Police Sgt. Carl Scowcroft, Trooper Matthew Hess and Trooper Thomas Rheault discovered a 14-year-old male runaway stuck waist deep in a marsh. The water was ice-cold. When they found him he was unresponsive. His breathing was slowed. He was showing all signs of hypothermia.
Scowcroft felt he had to act fast. The other troopers trained their flashlights on the boy as the sergeant bravely charged into the frigid water and mud to eventually pull the kid out. Members of the Alloway Township Fire Rescue soon joined the effort and the teen was pulled out on a backboard and carried up the embankment.