A terrifying crash in Vermont turned into a story of quick thinking and survival after a mother rescued her 2-year-old son from a car that plunged into a river on Monday afternoon.
Emergency crews from the Hartford Fire Department responded around 12:45 p.m. to reports of a vehicle in the Ottauquechee River near Quechee Main Street and the Mill Run Condominiums. By the time help arrived, the situation was already critical—the car was partially submerged and drifting downstream.
According to officials, the mother managed to escape the vehicle while it was sinking. Her toddler was strapped into a car seat in the back. Acting fast, she unbuckled him, cut through a deployed airbag blocking her path, and climbed out through a window. Holding her child, she then swam to shore.
First responders quickly transported both mother and child to a nearby hospital for evaluation. Thankfully, neither suffered serious injuries.
Rescue teams, including swimmers, searched the area to ensure no one else was trapped inside the vehicle. A later image shared by officials showed the car nearly fully underwater before it was eventually pulled out using a crane. The vehicle had significant front-end damage, though the cause of the crash remains under investigation.
Safety experts, including AAA, note that water-related crashes carry a high fatality risk. They advise drivers to stay calm, unbuckle immediately, and exit through a window before the vehicle fills with water.
In this case, calm under pressure made all the difference.
