Pc to be godfather of young accident girl
A dedicated police officer who helped a little Black Country girl recover after she was injured in an horrific accident has been asked to become her godfather.
Pc Jon Duckham, a family liaison officer, was on duty in October 2007 when police were called to a car park just yards from Darlaston police station in Crescent Road. Amy Samuel had become trapped beneath the family's black Fiat Punto which had rolled on to her, crushing her chest, and she had to be freed by firefighters.
She stopped breathing and was technically dead for about 20 minutes before being revived by paramedics and rushed to Birmingham Children's Hospital in a critical condition.
Her mother and father, Caroline Andrews and Gavin Manns, kept a bedside vigil and she was transferred to Walsall Manor as her recovery progressed.
Throughout the ordeal Pc Duckham was by Caroline and Gavin's side, helping them through the terrible hours when they thought their daughter would not survive the night.
He also helped drive other family members from their Darlaston home to the hospital so they could say goodbye to little Amy.Amy is now four and has amazed medical staff with her recovery. She still has problems with her speech and movement as a result of the amount of time her brain was without oxygen, but she is back playing with her friends and loving life.
Pc Duckham said: "I deal with a lot of death in the road policing unit where my role involves giving support and advice to families, mainly to those who have lost someone as a result of a collision. But this was so different. You don't expect a little girl who is technically dead to make such a recovery."
Pc Duckham takes presents to Amy every birthday and Christmas and he has enjoyed watching her recovery.
When he was asked to be godfather, the father-of-two checked with his senior officers and was given the go-ahead.
And now he is waiting for the date to be set for some time this summer.
