NJ mom saves toddler from rushing water after falling into manhole

UNION TOWNSHIP (Union) – A mom jumped into an open manhole at a county park after her 14-month-old fell 7 feet into rushing water on Thursday morning.

Fire Chief Mike Scanio told New Jersey 101.5 the manhole was in a playground inside Kawameeh Park near a swing.

She immediately jumped in after the boy.

The boy's mother had already grabbed the boy out of the water by the time first responders arrived, according to Scanio. He said the boy was running around and talking "like a 2-year-old does" and appeared to be OK but both mother and son were taken to a hospital to be checked out.

"When we got here the mother was out of the hole already. They were both soaked, crying, very upset but nothing physically wrong that we could see with them," Union Township Fire Department Battalion Chief Anthony Schimdtberg said during a briefing with reporters on Thursday.

Schimdtberg said there was no ladder for the mother to hold onto.

Scanio did not know why the manhole cover was removed but said township public works crews were checking other remote manhole covers to make sure they were closed.

Contact reporter Dan Alexander at Dan.Alexander@townsquaremedia.com or via Twitter @DanAlexanderNJ