Hero Deputy Plunges into Pond to Rescue Autistic Child

Body camera footage captured the moment a Louisiana sheriff's deputy bravely entered a neck-deep pond to rescue an autistic child who had entered the water on September 6. The incident occurred in Carencro after the eight-year-old, who is non-verbal and has autism, was reported missing.

Deputies from the Lafayette Parish Sheriff's Office arrived at the scene and observed the child submerged in the pond. Corporal Jared Havard immediately entered the water without removing his equipment, recognizing the urgency of the situation. The body camera captured 18 seconds of Havard struggling in the water before he secured the child.

Upon reaching the bank, Havard announced, "I got her," before handing the child to another deputy, who reassured the distressed girl, "You're okay, baby. You're okay. You're safe."

The child was safely reunited with her family, who were present at the pond's edge. The Lafayette Parish Sheriff's Office later released the body camera footage and commended Havard for his actions.

"I’m extremely grateful I had the ability to help this child and have a positive outcome!" Havard wrote in response to the sheriff's office's public recognition on Facebook. According to the department's social media, Havard became a K-9 handler in March and serves the parish with his partner, K-9 Riggs. His social media also indicates he is a veteran, married with two children.

Several individuals expressed their gratitude to Havard in the comments of the sheriff's office's post, with one user calling him a "hero."