Carpentersville mom of boy who nearly drowned seeks signs around pond

A Carpentersville mother wants to see warning signs posted around a retention pond in her neighborhood where her son and his friend fell through the ice and nearly drowned.

Denise Hopman said her 7-year-old son, Nicholas, and an older boy from the neighborhood walked onto the ice and fell into the water about noon last Sunday. The pond is directly behind Hopman's home on fenced property off Majestic Way in the Kimball Farms subdivision.

Hopman's older son, Nathan, 10, saw Nicholas fall in and pulled him out of the water, but he then fell in himself. They were submerged in frigid waters up to their necks wearing heavy winter clothing and boots in 25 degree temperature, Hopman said.

"They are very lucky," Hopman said. "They were still pretty close to the end of the pond area. If they went any further, they wouldn't have been able to get out. Their friend that also fell in carried Nicholas home. Both boys were drenched head to toe."

Nathan used the heavily grown weeds in the retention pond to pull himself through the water to get to safety, she said.

"It could have ended very badly, and I'm very concerned that the next child isn't going to be so lucky," Hopman said.

The pond is part of a protected wetlands area behind Majestic Way and Pine Hollow Roads.

Linda Prestia, a neighbor who lives on property that also backs up to the pond on Pine Hollow, said Nathan's quick response saved his brother's life.

"He is a hero," she said. "Something must be done to warn people about the dangers of walking on unmonitored ice."

Now, the two women are trying to get warning signs put up around the wetland area during winter months to prevent further accidents or get police to increase patrols of the frozen waterways.

"It is scary to even think about, but something has to be done to prevent another incident like this from happening," Prestia said.

Area residents often ride snowmobiles on the ice or go ice fishing after days of freezing temperatures.

"It sends a message to kids that the ice is safe place to play without knowing the importance of having freezing temperatures for several days," Prestia said.