Toddler rescued after getting stuck inside culvert in Afton’s Canyon View Park
AFTON (WNE) — Members of the Afton Volunteer Fire Department and emergency responders, with the help of family members, rescued a 3-year-old boy who became stuck in a culvert at Canyon View Park.
According to Afton Police Chief Jason Romberg, a family member called 911 at roughly 11:35 a.m. on Tuesday.
As emergency response arrived, they found the boy crying inside the culvert. Firefighters said there were only a few inches of space between the top of the water and the culvert, and they could see that the boy’s arm had become stuck.
Firefighters immediately began trying to reach the boy by clearing away branches and sticks. The boy's father arrived on scene and was able to swim through the culvert in an attempt to reach him, but he swam all the way through without being able to locate the child.
However, enough brush had been cleared that a firefighter was able to extend into the culvert from downstream and reach the boy, pulling him to safety.
The boy was examined onsite by EMS and was found to have no serious inquiries.
“Please remind children to not be playing near the irrigation ditch in Canyon View or any area where there is swift running water,” said the Afton Police Department in a released statement. “The current is strong enough at this time that if a small child does fall in, the current will sweep them downstream and possibly take them into a culvert.”
This story was published on June 2, 2026.
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