BILLINGS — A Yellowstone County sheriff’s deputy rescued a 2-year-old boy who fell into the Yellowstone River Friday morning.
The deputy responded to a report at 9:20 a.m. that a 2-year-old and 5-year-old were missing from their house, which is about 300 yards from the river. The boys’ father had driven their mother to work and when he returned home the children weren’t there, Capt. Bill Michaelis said.
About 20 minutes later, Deputy Adam Lauwers followed a bike trail down to the river and spotted the boys along the river bank.
“About that time, the 2-year-old fell in the river,” Michaelis said.
Lauwers jumped into the 40-degree water and rescued the boy. The boy wasn’t injured.
Sgt. Ryan Taylor said Lauwers was wet up to his thighs and the boy was mostly wet.
“He went in and saved a child’s life,” Taylor said. “Had he gone a different direction, it would have been a different outcome.”