THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, November 3, 1994 TAG: 9411030430
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY STEVE STONE, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 97 lines
The lifesaving efforts of a baby sitter - assisted by a 911 dispatcher giving CPR instructions by phone - and rescue personnel paid off for 16-month-old Jessica Magary, who almost drowned Tuesday in the family swimming pool.
The child made a dramatic recovery Wednesday after she was brought in critical condition to Children's Hospital of The King's Daughters.
``She's in fair condition. They've upgraded her from critical to fair,'' a surprised Carol Powell, a hospital spokeswoman, told parents Bob and Laurie Magary after getting word from the pediatric intensive care unit.
``She's breathing on her own with oxygen,'' Powell said.
``In five years here I've never heard of a child going from critical to fair like that.''
Laurie collapsed onto her husband's shoulder, tears of joy replacing the tears of fear that had flowed since her daughter fell into the pool Tuesday morning. ``She is an amazing little girl,'' she said, sobbing. ``And this is amazing.''
Virginia Beach police were called to the Magary home in the 1700 block of Sunrise Drive at 11:35 a.m. Tuesday after the family's 26-year-old baby sitter found the little girl in a backyard pool. Jessica had been playing in a sandbox and apparently wandered to the pool when the sitter went to prepare lunch for her and her 4-year-old brother.
The sitter, who asked that her name not be released, immediately jumped into the pool, injuring her knee as she rescued Jessica. She then called 911.
Over the next several minutes, 911 dispatcher Tanya King directed the sitter, who had some training in cardio-pulmonary resuscitation, in how to revive the child.
Master Police Officer William L. Mosley of the 3rd Precinct arrived and took over the CPR duties. Moments later, Master Firefighter James E. Ingledue, who lives nearby and was off-duty when he heard the sirens, joined the CPR effort.
Rescue crews arrived and Jessica was taken to King's Daughters.
In the meantime, a family friend reached the parents by phone. They first rushed to Bayside Hospital, only to learn that their daughter had been taken directly to the specialized emergency room at King's Daughters in Norfolk.
``It's the worst trip a parent can ever make in their life,'' Laurie, 38, said. Then the waiting began.
The couple did not see their daughter until 5 p.m. Tuesday. Jessica was connected to life-sustaining breathing equipment and tubes. It was a frightening sight, but she was alive.
``I told her, `I love you. Mommy's here,' '' Laurie said.
Doctors were cautious. They talked about the possibility of brain damage.
``They kept saying that they didn't know if she was going to make it or not,'' Bob, 42, said. It remained unclear how long the girl had been under water.
The couple stayed at the hospital through the long, uncertain hours of the night.
Wednesday morning brought hope.
Tests showed good measures of brain activity. Doctors began to sound optimistic.
``She is a hell of a fighter,'' Bob said.
``She was reacting to our presence and responding. That's when I knew she was going to be all right.''
By evening, the impossible seemed real.
It looked like there might be no brain damage.
``Our prayers, it seems, have worked,'' Laurie told reporters as she and her husband did their best to extend thanks to everyone who had come to their daughter's aid.
The Magarys hold no ill will for the sitter, they said. Just the opposite.
They credit her with taking the critical first steps that saved Jessica's life.
They will, however, get rid of their swimming pool, Laurie said. And she warned other parents with small children and pools of the danger of such a combination.
``This is going to sound like a mother talking,'' Laurie said when asked to describe Jessica: ``A beautiful, energetic, wonderful child.''
A few minutes later, away from the cameras, Laurie flipped through photographs taken Monday night when Jessica and her three brothers had celebrated Halloween.
Jessica had been dressed as a bride, but in the tiny, shiny gown, she looked more like a little angel.
Laurie touched the smiling face in the picture and sobbed: ``I want to see her like that again.'' ILLUSTRATION: Staff photo by RICHARD L. DUNSTON/
Virginia Beach police were called to the home of Laurie and Bob
Magary on Tuesday morning after the family's 26-year-old baby sitter
found Jessica Magary in a backyard pool.
Photo courtesy of the Magarys
16-month-old Jessica is recovering in the pediatric intensive care
unit at Children's Hospital of The King's Daughters.
KEYWORDS: ACCIDENT SWIMMING POOL by CNB