Teens rescue drowning toddler

MARGATE, Fla. (WSVN) -- Three South Florida teens are credited for rescuing a 3-year-old who nearly drowned in a canal behind a home.

Monday afternoon, the 3-year-old boy wandered into the backyard of his Margate home when he fell into a 10-foot-deep canal.

Margate Fire Rescue Chief Dan Booker said, "We found out that a 3-year-old child was left unattended by his mother, who was looking after a 6-month-old. She left him in front of the TV set and thought he was OK."

Three teens, Michael Dusek, Johnny Grail and Antonio Ezzo, were reportedly fishing nearby and saw the child flailing his arms in the water. "We hear a loud splash, and we see all the ducks freaking out, and then, all of a sudden, we see a kid's face and arms flailing," said Dusek.

Grail said, "We hear a big kaboom. We see duck, duck, duck and then arms."

"I just couldn't believe that this little kid's drowning and I'm watching it," Ezzo said.

The teens immediately rushed to the child's aid. Dusek and Grail jumped into the canal and swam across the water to save the boy, while Ezzo called for help. "I saw his head underwater," Dusek said, "so I lifted him up."

The teens managed to rescue the child from the water and revived him. "I was climbing up on the seawall, and I grabbed the baby, and I started running to the door, and I started beating on the door as hard as I could," said Grail.

The 3-year-old was transported to the hospital in stable condition. He is expected to be OK.

The three heroes were glad that they were able to save the child. Dusek said, "I just pictured, what if that was my little baby sister? And all I could think about was, he's a poor kid. He can't swim. He needs help."

Police are investigating the parents of the 3-year-old.

Authorities cautioned parents who live near a body of water to construct a fence or other barrier to prevent their children from getting near the water.

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