Officers rescue teenager stuck in mud in the woods

Suffolk County police officers rescued a teenager who got stuck in muddy water in a Shirley wildlife preserve on Sunday April 5.

Officers responded to a 911 call from Benjamin Moore stating he was stuck in the mud inside Wertheim National Wildlife Refuge at 7:27 p.m. Moore reported he had gone for a walk in the woods and could not find his way back after dark. While walking, he inadvertently stepped into an offshoot of Carmans River, sinking into the mud and becoming stuck.

Aviation Section officers flew a search route above the river while Moore was able to remain on the line with an Emergency Complaint Operator at the 911 dispatch center and was directed to use the flashlight on his cellphone to signal the helicopter. Once located, aviation officers directed Seventh Precinct Patrol and Emergency Service Section officers on the ground to Moore, who was located and pulled out of the muddy water at approximately 8:25 p.m.

Canine Section and Marine Bureau officers, as well as several fire departments, also responded to the scene to provide additional support. Moore, 15, of Shirley, was escorted out of the woods and then transported via ambulance to Stony Brook University Hospital for evaluation.