Police Officer Honored for Rescuing Children from Sinking Car

A police officer in northeast Indianapolis was commended for saving two children after their car crashed on January 13th.

The accident occurred shortly after midnight on Pendleton Way, where the vehicle was reported to have crashed, leading to the tragic death of the children’s father.

According to the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department (IMPD), just ten minutes before the incident, an officer stopped a vehicle for driving without headlights near East 38th Street and North Richard Avenue. The vehicle took off before the officer could exit the patrol car, and police chose not to pursue. Minutes later, the officer discovered a child in the pond calling for help.

Body camera footage shared by IMPD shows a 9-year-old boy informing officers that his sister and father were still trapped inside the submerged vehicle. This prompted the officers to act swiftly.

The responding team successfully rescued both the girl and her father, though the father unfortunately did not survive. Thankfully, the children have since fully recovered.

IMPD acknowledged the officers’ quick thinking and teamwork, crediting their actions for the children’s survival. Three officers were awarded the Medal of Valor, while another received a Lifesaving Award, and one more earned a Citation from IMPD Chief Chris Bailey for their extraordinary heroism under pressure.

Officer Erica Eder recounted the moment she jumped into the water without hesitation. “I just thought, ‘I have to get rid of her,'” she recalled.

Tragically, reports indicated that the father, 28-year-old Dechon Sims, received CPR at the hospital but was pronounced dead shortly thereafter.

Recently, officers reunited with the children, sharing heartfelt hugs, as seen in an IMPD video.