A Georgia deputy’s decision about where to go for a lunch break helped prevent a woman and a 2-month-old child from drowning in a river last week.
Wednesday, Aug. 16, started just like any other day for Muscogee County Deputy Aliyah Miller. As she was taking a walk for her lunch break along the RiverWalk in Columbus, Georgia, she spotted a woman holding her infant and threatening to dive into the Chattahoochee River.
Local station WSB reports the woman had been making posts on Facebook about her intentions, and the sheriff’s department and Columbus Police Department both received numerous calls from concerned citizens about them.
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Miller and another fellow officer approached the woman. Eventually, they managed to talk her down, saving both her and the baby.
Miller stayed with the 2-month-old in an air-conditioned fire truck until another family member could arrive and pick them up, WSB reports.
People have praised Miller for her service in real life and online.
“I want to commend Deputy Miller, the Columbus Police Department, and Columbus Fire and EMS on a job well done,” Muscogee County Sheriff Greg Countryman wrote in a statement on Facebook. “Thanks to quick thinking and response time, they prevented a tragedy from occurring today. Your dedication to going above and beyond the call of duty is what we should all strive to achieve each and every day.”
“You saved two lives, Deputy Miller! I know the family is extremely grateful for you,” Facebook user Jessica Moody said.
“Aliyah, considering you never walk that way and just decided to change it up, tells me Jesus put you in the right place at the right time. I couldn’t be more proud of you. Knowing what I know about you, I’m sure it just came naturally. God Bless you!” Becky Russell Osborn added in another Facebook post.
