On Thursday, May 6, 2021 at approximately 1:15 p.m. the McCracken County Sheriff’s Office responded to a residence in the 6000 block of Old Mayfield Road for a call of distress involving a small child. The nature of the call was not immediately known.
McCracken County Corporal Zack Dunigan and Deputy Kenneth Baldwin arrived within minutes of the call being received. Once on scene, it was discovered a one and a half year old child had been riding with an adult on a zero-turn lawnmower. The child fell from the lawnmower and was
struck in the leg by the engaged blades, causing serious and life threatening injuries.
Corporal Dunigan and Deputy Baldwin quickly applied a C-A-T (Tourniquet) to the child’s leg to control the bleeding.
The child was quickly transported to a local hospital by Mercy Regional Ambulance. Due to the inclement weather in the area yesterday afternoon, air transport was not available. The McCracken County Sheriff’s Office escorted the ambulance to the Kentucky – Tennessee state line with the
assistance of the Kentucky State Police. Once in Tennessee, the Tennessee Highway Patrol took over the escort until its final destination at a Nashville area children’s hospital.
All members of the McCracken County Sheriff’s Office are issued a C-A-T (Combat Application Tourniquet) as well as a belt holster. The equipment is issued for instances just like this.
We here at the McCracken County Sheriff’s Office would like to thank 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.
The combined efforts of everyone involved in this incident as well as the quick action and thinking of Corporal Dunigan and Deputy Baldwin no doubt saved a young life.
“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” – Sheriff Matt Carter
The last update received on the child revealed she was out of surgery and in stable condition.
In 2020 alone, sixteen (16) employees of the McCracken County Sheriff’s Office received Life Saving Awards.