Toddler in Gontenbad resuscitated after falling into golf course pond

Toddler wanders into golf course pond

On Tuesday evening, 29 September 2026, an accident occurred in the locality of Gontenbad in the Swiss canton of Appenzell Innerrhoden. A 23-month-old girl was spending time with her father inside the barn of an agricultural operation. While her father was working in the barn, the toddler walked away from the building without anyone noticing her departure. The child moved across the property toward the grounds of an adjacent golf course. Only a few minutes after she disappeared from view, family members searched the surrounding area and discovered the toddler in a small pond located roughly 150 meters away from the farm barn. The proximity of the water body to the farming area allowed the young child to reach the pond within a short span of time.

Immediate resuscitation by parents and bystanders

The discovery of the child in the pond prompted immediate emergency intervention from the family on site. After the toddler was pulled out of the water, her parents began cardiopulmonary resuscitation without hesitation. During the incident, the mother called out loudly for help, alerting people who were present in the area surrounding the golf course. A local resident who was having dinner with his wife beside the golf grounds heard the mother shouting and ran directly to the scene of the accident to provide aid. The parents were already administering chest compressions and rescue breaths to the 23-month-old child when the neighbor arrived to assist with the ongoing life-saving efforts.

Mobilization of regional emergency units

Emergency services were alerted simultaneously as resuscitation was initiated beside the pond. A comprehensive response was coordinated across multiple regional rescue services in the canton of Appenzell Innerrhoden. The deployment included two first responders, emergency medical personnel from the Appenzell ambulance service (Rettungsdienst Appenzell), and officers from the Appenzell Innerrhoden Cantonal Police (Kantonspolizei Appenzell Innerrhoden). First responders and paramedics arrived at the golf course quickly and took over life support measures from the parents and the neighbor. Swiss air rescue service Rega dispatched an emergency helicopter to provide specialized transport. The medical crew continued resuscitation on site until the toddler was stabilized, after which the helicopter flew the girl to a hospital in critical condition.

Community reaction and positive medical update

The incident left a quiet and somber atmosphere throughout the Appenzellerland region on Wednesday as news of the near-drowning spread among local residents and visitors. Several walkers and hikers who were passing through Gontenbad spoke to reporters about the tragic nature of the situation and expressed their sympathy for the family. Later that day, treating physicians delivered an encouraging update on the child's medical condition. On Wednesday afternoon, 30 September 2026, the Appenzell Innerrhoden Cantonal Police announced upon inquiry that according to medical staff, the 23-month-old girl was doing well considering the circumstances.