Two People Die in Separate Attempts to Rescue Dogs From Icy Ponds

Indianapolis man falls through ice while trying to rescue dog

A man in Indianapolis died Monday after attempting to rescue his dog from an icy pond near the apartment complex. 

The Indianapolis Fire Department wrote on Facebook they attempted to make an aggressive rescue of a man after witnesses saw him run after his dog who had run onto the pond. 

The dog was able to make it back to shore and get out of the water on its own, the department said. 

Divers located the victim about 30 feet from the shore in 15 feet of water. He was taken to a local hospital in extremely critical condition, and later passed away at a local hospital, Battalion Chief Rita Reith said. 

On Saturday, a 38-year-old woman in Wyoming, Michigan also passed away after she fell through the ice in a pond at Battjes Park while walking her dog. Investigators believe she was trying to rescue her dog who had walked through thin ice. 

"If the dog was struggling, she would save that dog," Cashman's mother, Rhonda Moore told WZZM-13. "Whether it was her dog, somebody else's dog, a child - it would be instinct. She would just do it."

The victim, identified at Tracy Cashman, frequently walked her dog at the park. Family members became concerned for Cashman's safety after her dog returned home without her. Police discovered Cashman's body in the ice of the pond at the park. A cold-water rescue was performed by firefighters, but they were too late. 

Godfrey-Lee Public Schools, where Cashman worked, wrote on Facebook that she "embodied the District’s core values of community, equity, excellence, human centered and relationships." 

Cashman's family set up a GoFundMe account to help pay for funeral expenses. 

Photo: Indianapolis Fire Department


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