Thankfully, police arrived just in the nick of time.
Police arrived just in time to rescue a 6-month-old baby whose father allegedly attempted to drown her in a Missouri River.
On Monday, Jonathon Stephen Zicarelli allegedly went to a police station in Greenwood and told officers he had drowned his child in a nearby pond, authorities said.
Chief Greg Hallgrison and Cpl. Tom Calhoun rushed to the area and found the baby floating face up in the pond, according to a statement.
Police called the rescue a “miracle,” saying the child she was lethargic and her skin looked lifeless, the Kansas City Star reported.
Her lungs were full of water and officers performed CPR, getting her to breathe just minutes later. They removed her wet clothes and wrapped her in an officer’s shirt before paramedics arrived and transported her to a local hospital.
"There was absolutely someone watching over that child today," Greenwood police Lt. Aaron Fordham told the paper.
Zicarelli has been charged with first-degree domestic assault in connection with the incident.
The father had allegedly planned for more than 24 hours to kill the baby because he wanted to make life "easier for his wife” and was stressed about financial obligations during the holiday season, police said.
He allegedly walked to the pond three times before leaving his baby there, according to authorities.
Authorities said the baby is recovering and is in good health. She was treated for severe hypothermia.
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