Diaper may have saved child's life in Florida car accident

Police believe a 3-year-old child survived a car crash due to the buoyancy of her diaper. The serious car accident occurred in Florida after the child's parents began fighting, causing the vehicle to careen into a nearby lake. The child's father died as a result of the crash.

The child's parents had an apparent history of disputes, with the father on probation for domestic battery at the time of the crash. He had several domestic violence complaints against him, each involving the child's mother. The parents were in the car together at the time of the crash, even though the man had been ordered by a court not to communicate with or come near the child's mother except to schedule visits with their daughter. Witnesses say they saw the man strike the mother while she sat at the wheel of their car, causing her to lose control of the vehicle and veer into the lake.

Soon after, a police deputy arrived at the lake and responded to the mother's cries for help. Upon rescuing her, responders began searching for the child, who they eventually noticed floating on the surface of the lake. The deputy told reporters that he spotted the toddler pop out of the water "like a cork."

Police were able to bring the baby to shore, but the child was unconscious and would not wake up. The child was rushed to a children's hospital for treatment, where she remained in critical but stable condition for some time before her release.

This particular accident is unique, but it shows the dangers of distracted driving. Because the parents were fighting while the vehicle was in motion, they put themselves and their young child in immediate danger. Hopefully this incident will stress to other Florida motorists the importance of driving safely and without distraction.

Source: Fox News, "Diaper Reportedly Saves 3-Year-Old in Crash in Florida," Oct. 26, 2011