A portion of the Artesia (91) Freeway in Cerritos was shut down Wednesday morning when a teenage girl was dangling off the Carmenita Boulevard overpass above the westbound lanes and threatening to jump.
Officers from the Cerritos Sheriff's Station and California Highway Patrol were called to the overpass just before 9 a.m. upon receiving several reports of a possible jumper, said CHP Officer Tatiana Sauquillo.
When deputies arrived at the location, a civilian was spotted holding onto a teenage girl who was climbing over the overpass fence. "The juvenile was able to climb over the fence and was holding on with her hands," said sheriff's Lt. Richard Harpham of the Cerritos Station.
"Cerritos (sheriff's) personnel, the civilian, and a member of the California Highway Patrol took hold of the juvenile’s wrists as she was dangling over the westbound 91 freeway," Harpham said, adding that they were unable to pull the girl back over the fence and the situation went on for several minutes.
The juvenile ultimately gave in to the lifesaving efforts and the officers were able to bring her back to safety, Harpham said.
The girl, a resident of Cerritos, was taken to a hospital for a mental health evaluation, according to the sheriff's station.
Both directions of the freeway were temporarily shut down by CHP during the incident, but all lanes reopened at about 9:10 a.m.
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