NATCHEZ — The child who was transported to a local hospital after falling into a fountain Saturday night is expected to make a full recovery.

Scott Slover said his daughter Rowe, 15 months, briefly left his line of sight while he was picking things up in the yard at a residence near Metcalfe Alley.

When he found her in a nearby fountain, she was blue, Slover said.

“I think she climbed onto the fountain and fell in, but obviously I didn’t know she could get in — the water didn’t even go up to the baby’s knees,” he said.

Slover said he performed CPR on his daughter until emergency personnel were able to arrive and take her to the emergency room in the fire truck in a matter of minutes.

She was later transported from Merit Health Natchez to Blair E. Batson Children’s Hospital in Jackson.

“The fire department showed up at a rapid pace — they acted immediately and they were very, very impressive,” he said. “Everyone did a great job, from 911 to the fire department to the (local) hospital to Air Evac to (Batson) Children’s Hospital.

“I had my other daughter with me, and there was a lady — a stranger — at the emergency room who kind of stepped in and kept my (older) daughter while I was panicking about my other daughter.”

Rowe was transported to the children’s hospital for observation, and was released after 18 hours, Slover said.

“She is fine, and there is no report of any long-term damage,” he said. “She is perfectly normal, and the doctor said there is no long-term injury.”