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Girl Revived After Nearly Drowning At Miller Park

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) - A 14-year-old girl was found underwater by good Samaritans, but when they pulled her out she was not breathing.

It was supposed to be relaxing and fun afternoon at Miller Park, but that all changed when a teenage girl disappeared under the water.

"We were trying to have a good time and then we heard people yelling for help and we ran as fast as we could to save this little girl," said one witness.

Just after 3 p.m., Brandon Gilmer noticed the girl struggling in the water near where some other children were playing.

He says his first instinct was to jump in. Others did too.

"It was like six or seven of us trying to find her. My brother said he felt her touch his leg but he had to come up for air. Then, someone who was helping us just popped up with her," said Gilmer.

They pulled her up to shore just as the ambulance arrived and rushed her to UC Davis Medical Center. Crews say they were able to get her pulse back, on the ride there.

"She's got the best chance of survival because these people were able to find her and start CPR right away," said Battalion Chief Jay Glass, Sacramento City Fire.

Meanwhile, family members tell CBS13 the teen did know how to swim but was not wearing a life jacket.

Officials say she's lucky the right people were nearby at the right time, but even the best swimmers are no match for the strong current.

"People that wear life jackets don't drown; people that have them on survive," said Glass.

Unfortunately crews don't know how long she was underwater. It can take as short as four to six minutes to suffer brain damage.

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