Deputies Honored for Heroic Rescue of Twin Toddlers

Six Clay County deputies received the Distinguished Service Medal—the Sheriff’s Office’s second-highest honor—and 16 others were awarded the Meritorious Service Award at a ceremony Friday, May 2, for their roles in rescuing twin toddlers from a hostage situation last fall.

The incident unfolded on the evening of October 28, 2024, when Pleasant Valley Police responded to a 6:18 pm call reporting a domestic disturbance in the 7100 block of Fulton Road. Officers arriving on scene spoke with a woman who said her partner had assaulted her and remained inside the home with a firearm. She had managed to get some of her children out of the house safely.

When the man refused to come out, Pleasant Valley Police called for assistance from the Clay County Sheriff’s Office. Deputies arriving on scene learned that the couple’s 1-year-old twin toddlers were still inside the house, and the man was refusing to release them.

The Sheriff’s Special Tactics and Response (STAR) Team and the Negotiations Team were activated, while nearby townhomes were evacuated as a precaution. Negotiators worked through the night to de-escalate the situation, gathering intelligence from family members, witnesses, and law enforcement databases to build a detailed profile of the suspect and the home’s layout, including the potential locations of firearms.

Shortly after midnight, following hours of failed negotiations, deputies entered the home. They encountered the suspect armed with a handgun, which they were able to wrestle away before taking him into custody. The twin toddlers were rescued unharmed and reunited with their mother. Two deputies sustained injuries entering the home through a broken window.

The suspect has been charged with felony domestic assault and remains in custody awaiting trial.

Clay County Sheriff Will Akin commended the deputies’ bravery and professionalism. “Their courage and teamwork under extreme pressure brought two innocent children to safety. These awards are a small token of the immense gratitude we feel for their dedication,” he said during the ceremony.

KPGZ News – Brian Watts contributed to this story.