Copter Crew Thanked; They Saved Little Girl

Members of a sheriff’s helicopter crew who landed in a Hacienda Heights neighborhood to save the 2-year-old daughter of a Japanese diplomat after she had fallen into a back yard swimming pool spa were hailed as heroes Thursday by the girl’s family.

Nobuyuki Ohtera, a staff member at the Japanese Consulate in Los Angeles, expressed his gratitude to the deputies at a press conference Thursday, saying he was “surprised and happy the helicopter came to my house.”

Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Deputies Richard Gurr and Michael Miller were on a routine patrol flight Wednesday afternoon about 10 miles from the Ohtera home in the 16600 block of Echo Hill Way when they heard radio reports of a possible child drowning.

Fearing that it would take several minutes for ground rescue units to reach the scene, they decided to land in a cul de sac near the house.

“It took less than a minute to reach the house,” Gurr said.

Gurr said that as the helicopter, piloted by Miller, moved in, “I could see Mrs. (Satoko) Ohtera standing by the pool and she was carrying a child. She was waving and gesturing frantically to us.”

After landing, Gurr said he ran to the house and met the child’s mother, who directed him to an upstairs bedroom where she had placed the girl on a bed.

Administers CPR

The deputy said he found little Yurika Ohtera lying face-down, unconscious and having difficulty breathing. He began cardiopulmonary resuscitation.

The child soon revived, began to cry and appeared in good condition after about a minute, Gurr said.

The child was taken by paramedics to Whittier Hospital Medical Center, where she was in stable condition Thursday.

During the news conference at the sheriff’s Industry station, Gurr, 28, tried to downplay his efforts. But the deputy said he felt especially good about the rescue because he also has a 2-year-old daughter.

“The moment you see a little kid the same age as your daughter in that condition, your heart hits bottom,” he said.