Man dies in frozen pond rescue attempt
By Tony Reid
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CHARLESTON, Illinois (Herald & Review) — The aunt of a 10-year-old girl fighting for her life after falling through pond ice spoke of the tragedy Sunday, and praised the bravery of the young grandfather who died trying to save her.
Ma’Liyah White was later airlifted for treatment and is now being cared for at a hospital in Peoria, where she remains in critical condition, according to her aunt, Amanda Beals.
In Facebook postings, Beals described Ma’Liyah’s heart being restarted by medical teams after firefighter divers had pulled her from beneath the ice of the frozen pond Saturday morning.
“However, we don’t know about brain function yet,” said Beals of her niece. “She is a strong little girl and when we were telling her we love her before they took her away, her head was turning a little bit, so we are hopeful that’s a good sign.”
She identified the grandfather, whose body was also recovered by dive teams, as Carlos Serafin, 31. Beals said Ma’Liyah had ventured onto a pond near where she lives on East County Road 620 North, following several pet dogs that had walked out onto the ice. Ma’Liyah then fell through the ice, and Beals said another of her nieces who saw the accident happen, 8-year-old Bailey Croy, ran to get help.
Beals said her brother, Bill Croy, and Serafin dashed to the rescue. “Carlos jumped into the pond with a broom stick to try and save Ma’Liyah, but she was already under the ice and he also got sucked under,” Beals said in her Facebook post.
“Bill busted the ice to try to get to them, but couldn’t find them.”
Beals has launched an appeal — gofund.me/d3cdce89 — to help Ma’Liyah’s family with medical and funeral expenses. An account will also be set up at the Washington Savings Bank branches in Mattoon and Effingham. Beals said both Ma’Liyah and Bailey are Bill Croy’s granddaughters and he has custody of them. Bill Croy is married to Carlos Serafin, whom Beals described as the girls’ other “abuelo,” or grandfather.
“Carlos loved those girls and all of their dogs sooo much,” Beals said in a Facebook message to the Herald & Review.
“And we as a family can’t stress enough how much Carlos was a hero and how much he really loved his family and would do anything for them.” Beals also urged well-wishers to “continue to pray for Bill and Bailey. It’s going to be a long road for everyone.”
Lincoln Fire Protection District Chief Frederick Reynolds said in a statement that crews from the Charleston Fire Department wearing “protective cold-water suits” had gone into the pond to perform the rescues. They had been called to the scene at 7:53 a.m. and had found and rescued both victims by 8:15 a.m. Chief Reynolds said first responders also rescued three dogs from the pond.
Beals, in another Facebook post, said one of the dogs, called Horchata, had died.
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