PORT ARTHUR, Texas — Southeast Texas first responders are grateful a car seat saved an infant's life following a crash that tossed a mother from her car.
The crash happened Sunday, February 26, 2023 in the 100 block of Highway 365 West around 8 a.m., Port Arthur Police Chief Tim Duriso told 12News. At some point during the drive, the vehicle wrecked and rolled over.
The mother, who was behind the wheel, was ejected from the vehicle. She and the baby were taken to CHRISTUS St. Elizabeth for treatment.
The vehicle flipped over and when first responders arrived to the scene, the infant was still strapped in their car seat, uninjured.
As of Tuesday, the mother remains in critical condition.
Clint Aslin with the Port Arthur Fire Department was the first to arrive on scene Sunday.
"The child was taken out, and gave it a few glances. The child was fine from what I could tell, I didn't see any visible scarring or bruising," Aslin said. "Then I had to move to the more critical patient, the mother. I started doing life saving techniques to her to keep her stabilized."
Aslin says that car seat saved the baby's life
"The impact that it was taking if that baby had not been in that car seat it would have been way worse, including possible death. Car seats are very important," Aslin said.
Officer Wendy Billiot with the Port Arthur Police Department wants every parent to know that chances of survival are increased if a child is properly secured in a car seat.
"Being secured in a child safety seat, or a seatbelt for older children or adults. your chances are far better, to be without. Even if a child sustains injuries they can could be far worse if they are not seat-belted," Billiot said.
Investigators are still working to piece together what caused this crash.
If a child is a shorter that four foot, nine inches, they are required to be in booster or car seat.
"Children under the age of eight whether that is a rear facing for an infant a rear facing seat," Billiot said.
Both the Port Arthur Police Apartment and the Port Arthur Fire Department are trained to install car seats correctly and can assist parents and caretakers.