NH school principal dives in river to rescue boy

ROCHESTER — An elementary school principal in New Hampshire jumped into a frozen river to save a 10-year-old student who fell through the ice.

Firefighters say that because of Principal Gwen Rhodes' quick action, Andrew Brown was in the Cocheco River for just a few minutes.

He had fallen through the ice Wednesday outside the Gonic School in Rochester.

Rhodes said the boy, who has autism, ran away from a teacher and through the woods behind the school onto the frozen river after a morning break. Both the teacher and Rhodes took off after him and saw him come to a stop on a patch of thin ice.

Rhodes says she was able to get to Andrew and use trees along the riverbank to pull them to safety.

Both treated for hypothermia and some bruises.