‘God put me in the right place’: SC police officer saves child from drowning

NORTH MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (WIS/WMBF) - A police sergeant in South Carolina is sharing his story of saving a 4-year-old boy who was trapped underwater when a golf cart overturned in a waterway.

The North Myrtle Beach Police Department said Sgt. Christopher Bellamy was patrolling in Cherry Grove Beach in September when he noticed a golf cart overturned in the waterway behind a home on 33rd Avenue North.

Bellamy said he heard screams coming from behind the house and observed other residents running towards the back.

“I almost stopped and backed up and did a double take, like, did I really see that? But I knew what I saw, so I turned in, I got out of my car, and that’s when I heard the screaming,” Bellamy said. “And that’s kind of when all chaos broke loose.”

The department says a cart was partially submerged on its side in three feet of water. Three older victims were still wearing seatbelts, while bystanders were attempting to help.

According to NMBPD, as Bellamy began to assist in extracting the women, one of the victims stated her four-year-old grandson was underneath her, completely in the water.

He quickly used his pocketknife to release the woman and child from their locked seat belts, officers say.

“After approximately 20 seconds of chest compressions, the child vomited water and began to have sporadic agonal breathing, read the agency Facebook post.” Sergeant Bellamy continued to provide chest compressions and encouraged him to breathe, and after a full minute and a half, he began to regain consciousness and to breathe on his own while coughing up more water.”

Bellamy recalled the moment he knew he had saved the toddler.

“He opens his eyes, spits up some more, and then rolls over and starts crying, and it was the best sound I’ve ever heard in my life, it was just unbelievable,” Bellamy said.

Now the Sergeant is encouraging all officers to always keep a close eye on their surroundings, no matter where they serve.

“You never know what you’re going to roll up on because most of the time we get the call, and when we get there, it’s too late, so it was refreshing to be at the front end of this one,” Bellamy said. “They hadn’t called 9-1-1; they didn’t have time to even call. It was just—definitely, God put me in the right place at the right time."

The child was taken to the hospital, where he made a full recovery after a couple of days of receiving medical care.

The police department says he was underwater for four minutes before being rescued.

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