A harrowing rescue unfolded Saturday in Beeville, Texas, when emergency crews extracted a baby from a white sedan swallowed by fast-rising floodwaters south of San Antonio.
Body camera and bystander video released by police Sunday captured the tense moment as officers and firefighters waded into the churning water surrounding the partially submerged vehicle. A panicked driver pleaded through the window: "Can you get my kid?" A first responder immediately responded, "Yeah give me the baby," and reached through the passenger-side window to grab the infant secured in a carrier.
As the responder carried the baby carrier to safety, the driver shouted warnings to protect the child. Another firefighter quickly draped a high-visibility jacket over the carrier once it reached the curb and dry ground. No injuries were reported.
The incident stemmed from a sudden downpour that overwhelmed a low-water crossing before officials could erect warning barricades. Police said the fire chief spotted the vehicle approaching and tried to flag down the driver, but the warning came too late.
"As the vehicle approached the crossing, the fire chief attempted to wave the driver down to stop them from entering the water, but the driver did not see him in time," the Beeville Police Department said in a statement.
The rescue sparked a sharp reminder from authorities about flood risks. Police emphasized that even shallow moving water can sweep vehicles off roads with shocking speed, and by the time a driver recognizes the danger, escape becomes impossible.
"Situations like this are a reminder that flood water is nothing to gamble with," the department stated. "It does not take much moving water to push a vehicle off the roadway."
Police also issued a stern warning about circumventing barricades: "If barricades are up around a roadway or crossing, please do not drive around them. Going around barricades not only puts lives at risk, but it is also a criminal offense."
Authorities urged drivers to reduce speed during heavy rain, avoid flooded roads entirely, and exercise extreme caution near creek crossings and flood-prone areas. The department concluded with a blunt message: "No errand, shortcut, or destination is worth risking your life or your family's safety."
Author James Rodriguez: "A split-second decision that went catastrophically wrong, saved by responders who moved without hesitation."
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