Child with autism trapped in swing freed by fast-acting police

Show Caption Hide Caption Helping autistic children with their emotions Researchers in Toronto recently finished a trial study for helping children with autism.

LYNDHURST — A day at the park turned worrisome for a 5-year-old child with low-functioning autism on Thursday when she became trapped in a swing.

"She climbed up into the swing on her own," the child's aunt and godmother, Regina Perez said. "I pushed her on the swing maybe about 20 minutes. She was so happy."

But when Perez attempted to remove her niece from the swing in Town Hall Park, the child's thighs became stuck in the rubber safety seat.

After several bystanders failed to help the aunt free the child, the swing began to cut off her circulation. Perez called the police shortly after 4 p.m.

Within minutes, a team of police were able to use cable cutters to unhook the swing, and cut through the rubber.

"Officer Joe White was able to hold the hand of the child, who was visibly upset," said Detective Vincent Auteri, while officers Steven Passamano, Brian Kapp, Mark Rivera and Sgt. John Castiglia helped remove the child from the swing.

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"As witnesses say, she went back to playing and was totally immune to the situation," Auteri added.

Perez said she was impressed by how the officers handled the situation. Her niece is non-verbal and doesn't understand commands, she said. But the officers found a way to communicate through eye contact and they were able to keep her calm, she said.

"I was so full of gratitude," she said. "They treated her like it was their own child."