Deputies Help Save Life of Child Struck by Mower

Two McCracken County deputies are being credited with helping save the life of a young girl who was partially run over by a mower Thursday afternoon. 

The McCracken County Sheriff's Office says deputies responded at 1:15 p.m. to a home in the 6000 block of Old Mayfield Road after getting a distress call of an unknown nature. 

Deputies Zack Dunigan and Kenneth Baldwin arrived a short time later and discovered an 18-month old girl had been riding with an adult on a zero-turn lawnmower when she fell off and was struck in the leg by the engaged blades, causing severe injuries to her leg.

Dunigan and Baldwin applied what's known as a Combat Application Tourniquet to the child's leg to control the bleeding.

The child was taken to a local hospital by ambulance. Due to inclement weather in the area air transport was not available. Deputies later escorted the ambulance to the Kentucky-Tennessee state line with the assistance from the Kentucky State Police. Once in Tennessee, the Tennessee Highway Patrol took over the escort until it reached its final destination at a Nashville area children's hospital.

Sergeant Ryan Willcutt said the child is now out of surgery and in stable condition.

Willcutt said all members of the McCracken County Sheriff's Office are issued a CAT, as well as a belt holster for these types of situations. 

Sheriff Matt Carter thanked the ER staff at Mercy Health-Lourdes Hospital, Mercy Regional Ambulance, McCracken County Deputy Coroner and Paducah Firefighter Jake Blackwell, as well as the Kentucky State Police and Tennessee Highway Patrol for their assistance.

"I'm proud of the fast actions by all involved in this incident and by all reported accounts, their quick actions saved this young girls life. Corporal Dunigan and Deputy Baldwin were truly real life hero's yesterday. I ask that the community please keep this child and the family in your thoughts and prayers as they face the days ahead" Carter said.