A 15-year-old girl was rescued from the frigid waters of Finnerty Cove Wednesday afternoon.
The girl was walking with a staff member from Ledger House, a facility run by the Vancouver Island Health Authority that provides acute, in-patient psychiatric care for children and youth. At 1:45 p.m., she bolted toward the beach and into the water, said Const. Steve Eassie of Saanich Police.
The girl refused to comply with directions from staff to return to the shore, and she continued to swim to about 150 metres off the beach.
A distress call was put out, asking nearby boaters to assist. Two boats quickly arrived and those onboard struggled with the girl as they tried to bring her aboard, Eassie said.
The girl was brought to shore where she was taken into custody and checked by B.C. ambulance paramedics. She appeared to have suffered no physical injuries, despite being in the water for more than 20 minutes.
In 2010, 16-year-old Hayden Blair Kozeletski disappeared from Ledger House after returning from a visit to her home in Campbell River. Two hours later, her father found she had died after hanging herself with a scarf on a nearby beach. A coroner’s inquest made 23 recommendations.
The Vancouver Island Health Authority will investigate the incident at Finnerty Cove, said spokeswoman Suzanne Germain. — Times Colonist
