TERRIFYING: Ice Breaks, Girls Disappear Below

A serene winter landscape featuring a frozen lake surrounded by snow-covered trees and a log cabin

When two teenage girls plunged through treacherous ice into a frigid Oregon pond, deputies in standard uniforms had mere minutes to save them before hypothermia turned fatal.

Story Snapshot

Two girls, ages 15 and 16, fell through 1.5-2 inch ice on Jefferson County Youth Fishing Pond in Madras, Oregon, on January 28, 2026, around 5 p.m.
Jefferson County Sheriff’s deputies broke through ice in regular uniforms, pulling both teens to safety within minutes of the 911 call using a bodyboard and rope.
Both victims were hospitalized for hypothermia and are recovering; deputies sustained minor injuries but returned to duty immediately.
Body camera footage captured the harrowing rescue as deputies waded into icy water with no knowledge of pond depth or ice stability.
Officials issued urgent warnings about frozen waterways across central Oregon, citing fluctuating temperatures that create deadly ice conditions.

When Fun Turns to Disaster in Seconds

The Jefferson County Fairgrounds seemed like harmless fun for a group of teens hanging out on a Wednesday evening. The Youth Fishing Pond, a familiar local spot off SW Culver Highway, glistened with ice that appeared solid enough. Two girls ventured onto the frozen surface near the north end, unaware they were stepping onto ice barely thicker than a smartphone. The crackling sound came too late. Within seconds, both plunged into water so cold it steals breath and strength in minutes, leaving them partially submerged and crying for help as their terrified friends frantically dialed 911 at 5:15 p.m.

Racing Against Hypothermia’s Clock

Deputies CJ Linden, Charles Hatcher, Sergeant Ben Toops, and Sheriff Jason Pollock arrived within minutes, confronting a nightmare scenario. The girls were trapped in frigid water, exhaustion setting in as hypothermia began its cruel work. With no time to don specialized gear or assess water depth, Linden and Hatcher waded into the pond in their standard uniforms, breaking through ice with their hands and bodies. The unknowns multiplied with every step. How deep was the water? Would the ice hold their weight or send them under too? Deputy Linden, who recognized one victim from his school resource officer duties, pushed forward anyway.

Equipment and Instinct Save Lives

Sergeant Toops deployed rescue equipment including a bodyboard and rope, creating a lifeline through the shattered ice field. The deputies worked in coordinated movements captured on body camera footage, their training kicking in despite the chaos. They pulled both girls from the water as Jefferson County Fire and EMS crews prepared on-site treatment for hypothermia. The entire extraction took less than fifteen minutes from the 911 call, a timeline that likely prevented tragedy. Both teens were rushed to a local hospital while deputies, nursing minor injuries from the ice and cold, brushed off concerns about their own wellbeing.

The Hidden Killer in Winter Recreation

Central Oregon’s fluctuating winter temperatures create a deadly deception on frozen waterways. Ice that measures a safe four inches one day can thin to a lethal two inches overnight as temperatures swing. The Jefferson County pond’s ice measured just 1.5 to 2 inches thick, far below the minimum safe thickness for supporting human weight. Sheriff Pollock emphasized the variability that makes visual assessment worthless, while Deputy Linden later visited the victims in the hospital to stress the dangers they narrowly escaped. The rescue underscores what first responders across the region repeat every winter: no ice is safe ice when temperatures fluctuate.

Community Bonds Tested and Proven

Deputy Hatcher’s words after the rescue capture the ethos driving rural law enforcement through moments like these. “This department is a family, and this community is our family,” he said, explaining why deputies risk their lives without hesitation. Linden’s dual role as school resource officer deepened the stakes, transforming a rescue call into a mission to save someone he knew personally. Sheriff Pollock praised the inter-agency coordination between the sheriff’s office and Fire and EMS, teamwork that compressed response time and maximized survival odds. For Jefferson County residents, the rescue reinforced trust in the men and women who protect them, proving that rural communities depend on first responders willing to enter dangerous situations with minimal resources and maximum courage.