An unnamed Maitland police officer performed infant CPR after a toddler fell into a backyard pool years ago, an event the child’s family now commemorates each year by bringing food and cards to the Maitland Police Department, according to people who recounted the incident.

The officer, identified only by role in the transcript (Speaker 1), said they were on regular patrol when dispatch sent them to a 911 call about a woman screaming near what the speaker recalled as 171 White Oak Circle. "I remember pulling on White Oak, and I see this lady running towards me holding a blue baby," the officer said in the record. The parent, identified as Speaker 2 in the transcript, said the then-3-year-old — named "Bob" in the transcript — had fallen into the family pool. "Mom, Bob's in the pool," the parent quoted the child as saying before the rescue.

The parent said they performed mouth-to-mouth resuscitation and called 911 but that a police car arrived as they ran toward neighbors for help. The parent said they "handed him to Officer Manuel" in the transcript; the record spells the officer’s name as both "Manuel" and later as "Emmanuel." In this report the officer is referred to as "Officer Emmanuel" for consistency with the transcript's predominant spelling; the alternate spelling "Manuel" appears once in the record.

The officer said infant CPR training "kicked in" and described adapting technique for an infant: "My training, you know, back then CPR was 5 to 1, and it's an infant, so make sure you're covered the nose and the mouth with your mouth instead of, like, an adult." The officer credited training with the successful resuscitation.

Speakers described the episode as deeply meaningful. One speaker reflected that the rescue felt especially resonant around Christmas, calling it an example of "deliverance" and a reminder that first responders' work is noticed. The rescued child’s family later asked Chief Doyle for permission to bring food to officers on the anniversary of the rescue; the family continued that practice for 35 years. The officer said they receive an annual card and a photo from the family and share it with department members so newer officers understand the community impact of their work.

The officer also said they later saw the child at a local festival and that the child has since become a parent; a younger brother of the rescued child now serves as a police officer in nearby Winter Park. Speakers said those long-term personal ties contributed to residents viewing department members as friends over many years.

The account in the transcript does not include dates for the original incident or the annual gatherings. The transcript names local places including Lake Lilly and San Spero Road; some place names and spellings appear only in the transcript and are left as stated there when not otherwise verifiable.

The family and speakers framed the yearly gestures as gratitude rather than a formal municipal program; no motions, votes or official governmental actions were recorded in the transcript. The record consists of personal recollections and community reflections about the rescue and the subsequent tradition of thanking officers.