WESTFIELD – An 18-year-old Springfield man died Friday after saving his sister from drowning.
Westfield police received a 911 call at 6:13 p.m. Friday night with the caller reporting that a girl was drowning and her brother went in after her, according to police records.
The two had been swimming in the Westfield River off Russell Road in the vicinity of the old Sheraton Restaurant.
Both had been removed from the water, but Roberto Martinez was unconscious and not breathing. CPR could not be immediately accomplished over the phone because the caller was on the south side and the victim was on the north side of the river, according to police records.
Westfield Police Captain Michael McCabe said there was a large group of people gathered at the river, but only the children could speak English.
By the time emergency medical technicians arrived, someone had started CPR and Martinez was transported to Noble Hospital but he was pronounced dead at 7:12 p.m. Friday night.
Martinez had been able to rescue his 14-year-old sister, who apparently was unable to swim. She is reportedly OK, according to McCabe.
“The brother was trying to be heroic,” McCabe said.
The mother of the victim is listed as Carmen Medina of Springfield.
There are jersey barriers and chains that try to prevent people from swimming in the river, he added.
Martinez’s body was turned over to the medical examiner’s office, according to police records.
