Que. boy survives 3 hours buried in snow bank
A seven-year-old boy from Longueuil, Que., is alive and well after spending close to three hours buried in a snowbank earlier this week.
Olivier Prescott was playing in a schoolyard across the street from his house on Monday when a snowplow went by and buried him in a mound of snow.
He was unconscious for most the time he was trapped, and Prescott said he doesn't remember much.
His mother, Stéphanie Prescott, said she was shoveling snow in front of their house.
"I didn't see his tuque, and I said to my sister, 'I didn't see Olie like for five minutes'," said Prescott.
After noticing the boy was missing, she rallied most of the neighbourhood to search for him.
Neighbour Barry Haigh and his brother finally made a discovery three hours later.
"My brother came across his little boots sticking out and goes, 'I found them'," said Haigh.
"He got down on his hands and knees and started moving the snow away with his hands, then we heard Oliver going 'I'm here! I'm here!', in a weak, weak voice, and my brother pulled him out."
It was a traumatic moment for Olivier's mother.
"I was on my knees screaming like hell and when the guy said, 'I think he's moving.' I stopped crying and I went to go see my son and he was all white and blue," Stéphanie said.
Olivier was found in a semi-conscious state and suffering from hypothermia.
However, he recovered quickly in hospital, and he is now healthy.
Not snow plow driver's fault
Olivier's mother isn't blaming the snowplow driver, and neither are Longueuil police.
Police have interviewed the driver twice, and said he was in a state of shock.
They said it's clear the burial was accidental, and the driver won't face any criminal charges.
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| Seven-year-old Olivier Prescott walks with his mother Stéphanie outside their home on Wednesday. (CBC) |
A seven-year-old boy from Longueuil, Que., is alive and well after spending close to three hours buried in a snowbank earlier this week.
Olivier Prescott was playing in a schoolyard across the street from his house on Monday when a snowplow went by and buried him in a mound of snow.
He was unconscious for most the time he was trapped, and Prescott said he doesn't remember much.
His mother, Stéphanie Prescott, said she was shoveling snow in front of their house.
"I didn't see his tuque, and I said to my sister, 'I didn't see Olie like for five minutes'," said Prescott.
After noticing the boy was missing, she rallied most of the neighbourhood to search for him.
Neighbour Barry Haigh and his brother finally made a discovery three hours later.
"My brother came across his little boots sticking out and goes, 'I found them'," said Haigh.
"He got down on his hands and knees and started moving the snow away with his hands, then we heard Oliver going 'I'm here! I'm here!', in a weak, weak voice, and my brother pulled him out."
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| Neighbour Barry Haigh describes finding Olivier to the CBC's Catherine Cullen. (CBC) |
It was a traumatic moment for Olivier's mother.
"I was on my knees screaming like hell and when the guy said, 'I think he's moving.' I stopped crying and I went to go see my son and he was all white and blue," Stéphanie said.
Olivier was found in a semi-conscious state and suffering from hypothermia.
However, he recovered quickly in hospital, and he is now healthy.
Not snow plow driver's fault
Olivier's mother isn't blaming the snowplow driver, and neither are Longueuil police.
Police have interviewed the driver twice, and said he was in a state of shock.
They said it's clear the burial was accidental, and the driver won't face any criminal charges.
