Mom, Baby Pulled from N.H. Waterfall

April 12, 2010
PLYMOUTH, N.H. -- Fire crews rescued a mother and her toddler who fell 35 feet down Rainbow Falls in Plymouth late Sunday morning, officials said. Firefighters were called to Rainbow Falls shortly after 11:30 a.m., where Bree McHugh, 26, of Warren, and her 21-month-old daughter fell. Crews hiked about a half mile to the falls to evaluate the victims.

PLYMOUTH, N.H. --

Fire crews rescued a mother and her toddler who fell 35 feet down Rainbow Falls in Plymouth late Sunday morning, officials said.

Firefighters were called to Rainbow Falls shortly after 11:30 a.m., where Bree McHugh, 26, of Warren, and her 21-month-old daughter fell. Crews hiked about a half mile to the falls to evaluate the victims.

Plymouth fire Lt. Steve Vachon said the baby was strapped to McHugh's chest in a carrier. Vachon said McHugh went to stop her 4-year-old child from getting too close to the water when she slipped and fell 20 feet to an intermediate ledge and another 15 feet to the water.

"My daughter and I slid backwards down to the first ledge on my hip and lower back, then, I spun around and continued to slide backwards, head first into the rocky rook at the bottom," McHugh said.

McHugh suffered a hip injury, and her baby was unharmed. Both mother and child were taken to Speare Memorial Hospital in Plymouth.

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