Carpenter working at lake house swims 40 yards to save screaming child, NC cops say
A carpenter was working on a lake house when he heard screams bellowing across the water, North Carolina officials say.
His remodeling crew thought the noise was from a cat, but it was actually a 6-year-old boy yelling for help, the Alexander County Sheriff’s Office said Thursday in a news release.
The carpenter raced to a nearby dock and jumped into the cold lake “fully clothed,” the news release said.
The man, Scott Lingerfelt, swam about 40 yards, reached the child and brought him toward the shore, according to deputies.
The harrowing ordeal happened last week on Lake Hickory, a body of water roughly 55 miles northwest of Charlotte.
During the rescue, lakeside homeowner James Wycoff called 911 to report the possible drowning, deputies say.
When Lingerfelt reached the dock with the child, the boy’s brother and another carpenter met them there, Alexander County officials say.
That’s where the 6-year-old was pulled to safety from the 45- to 50-degree water, according to the news release.
The boy was taken to a local hospital for evaluation.
Lingerfelt and others will be recognized by the sheriff’s office on Tuesday for their help in the “life-saving event,” cops say.
This story was originally published January 2, 2020 at 4:09 PM with the headline "Carpenter working at lake house swims 40 yards to save screaming child, NC cops say."
