A mother of two says she turned her head for a minute when her 10-month-old fell down a heating vent.
The baby is okay, but the mom is now sharing the terrifying account as a reminder to parents to think of even the smallest safety hazards.
Saydie Reedy recalled the panic she felt when she went to wash dishes for a few minutes and noticed her two sons were eerily quiet. “I’ve never felt fear quite like that,” she said.
10- month-old Kolson was nowhere to be found but 3-year-old Jackson gave a hint. Reedy said, “He said, ‘Baby in,’ and he points to the vent.”
Reedy said the family had been doing construction on their 1920s Coburg house and hadn’t screwed down the screen on the vent.
Reedy immediately called police when she realized Kolson may have fallen down it. “I’m sure dispatch thought I was crazy because I was freaking and, you know, screaming,” she explained.
Coburg Police Chief Larry Larson said they were quite alarmed by the call. “That’s a call that we’ haven’t had before and so they troubleshot it really quick and determined they got to remove some flooring to get to the baby.”
That’s when officers sprang into action entering through a tiny crawl space underneath the house. The officer was able to lift Kolson up through the vent where officers were ready to grab him.
Chief Larson said, “She was elated, she was just so happy because it was pretty stressful for her.”
Aside from a few scratches and being very dirty he was completely fine.
“I’ve never felt so relieved,” Reedy said. “I’m pretty sure I was bawling.”
Reedy posted her experience online to warn other parents of the dangers of older heating vents. Especially since children can be rambunctious. “I think we screwed that vent down immediately after the police left,” Reedy said. “That’s all it really takes is just a few minutes of silence before they’re doing something.”
Days later she brought Kolson by the station to thank the officer who saved him. Kolson’s mom said the photo of him and Officer Wilson is getting a special spot in his baby book.
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