A three year old child, found floating in the city swimming pool Sunday afternoon, is recovering today (Monday) at Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital in Nashville.
Kadee Griffith, daughter of Chris and Jennifer Griffith, has been taken off the respirator and is alert and responsive, according to her father.
Chris Griffith told WJLE by telephone Monday morning from the hospital that he, Kadee, and his seven year old daughter were at the Smithville Municipal Pool Sunday afternoon attending a friend’s birthday pool party when the incident occurred around 4:38 p.m.
Griffith says he doesn’t know what happened. One minute Kadee was standing near the pool, and moments later he looked around and saw her floating face down in the water. Griffith says he picked Kadee up out of the pool. She wasn’t breathing.
Kim France, an RN, who was there began performing CPR on the child. Others also rendered assistance until DeKalb EMS arrived. In addition, Smithville Police Officer Scott Davis and members of the Smithville Volunteer Fire Department were on the scene. A Life Force helicopter ambulance was summoned and landed at the golf course. Kadee was then airlifted and flown to Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital, where she remains hospitalized.
Griffith says Kadee has shown signs of improvement this morning (Monday). She has been talking and giving her parents hugs. No word yet on when she will get to come home.
Meanwhile, in his weekly update on crime news, Sheriff Patrick Ray reports that
21 year old Homer Anthony Petty II of Banks Pisgah Road was arrested on Monday, June 8th for driving on a suspended license. Petty’s license was revoked for failure to satisfy a citation in Smith County on August 18th, 2008. Having knowledge that Petty’s license was suspended, a deputy, while on patrol, stopped Petty’s vehicle after spotting it on Short Mountain Highway. Petty’s bond is $1,000 and he will appear in court on June 24th.
24 year old Joshua Rhyn Cripps of Hodges Road Smithville was arrested Wednesday, June 10th for possession of a schedule VI drug (marijuana) and possession of drug paraphernalia. Bond for Cripps was set at $3,000. A deputy, while on patrol in the northern part of the county, spotted a vehicle setting on the side of the roadway on Cookeville Highway. While the officer was talking to the driver, he spotted a bag of marijuana lying in the passenger side seat. A box was also found in the driver’s side door pocket which contained a set of scales that is believed to have been used to weigh the marijuana.
53 year old Gary Wayne Stockton of Austin Bottom Road, Baxter was arrested Friday, June 12th and charged with driving under the influence and evading arrest. He was also issued citations for violation of the implied consent law and no tail lights. Bond for Stockton was set at $2,500 and he will appear in court June 25th. While on patrol in the eastern part of the county, deputies stopped a vehicle for a light law violation on Highway 70 at Johnson Chapel Road. Upon speaking with the driver, the deputy noticed that he had slurred speech and he was unsteady on his feet. After the man failed field sobriety tasks, officers asked him to submit to a blood alcohol test but he refused and then took off running. The man, Stockton, was caught a short distance down the road.
On Saturday, June 13th, deputies stopped a vehicle for a traffic offense on Highway 56 South and Old Blue Springs Road. The driver, 25 year old Claudie Dewayne Odom of Ash Avenue,. Cookeville was found to be driving on a suspended license. Odom’s license was suspended for failure to file insurance after an accident he had in Putnam County on March 10th, 2008. Odom’s bond was set at $1,000 and he will appear in court on July 23rd
On Sunday, June 14th deputies investigated a complaint about a theft where 45 year old Denise Ann Jauregui of Morgan Drive, Smithville went into a house on Short Mountain Highway, entered a bed room, and took $3,900 in cash from a wallet. Officers located Jauregui and she admitted to them that she had taken the money. Jauregui was arrested and charged with theft of property over $1,000. Her bond was set at $10,000 and she will appear in court on July 2nd. Deputies were able to recover $2,728 in cash from Jauregui.
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