“Heroic” officers and bystanders free trapped baby
Shocking footage has captured the moment police officers and bystanders lifting a car to save a trapped baby.
The incident happened in the town of Yonkers in New York on Friday, when a 43-year-old driver allegedly crashed into a car then careened across the road and into the front of a local barber shop.
As the car moved across the road, a woman was crossing the street with her eight-month-old daughter in her arms. The pair were hit by the car and landed on the bonnet as it crashed into the shop.
Two police officers, who were nearby ordering breakfast, rushed to the scene to investigate.
Once it was discovered the baby was trapped underneath the car, the officers and several bystanders worked together to lift the car and free the baby.
“Luckily, two veteran officers of Yonkers’ finest just happened to be getting breakfast next door and quickly took action along with members of the community to rescue a child trapper under the vehicle and render aid to her mother,” Police Commissioner John Mueller said in a statement.
“The actions taken are nothing short of heroic.”
The mother and daughter were left with serious injuries but are expected to survive.
The mother suffered a fractured femur and the baby had a fractured skull and third-degree burns on her back and foot, according to police.
The driver, David Poncurak, was uninjured.
He was charged with several offences, including second-degree vehicular assault, driving while intoxicated, and second-degree aggravated unlicensed operation of a vehicle.
Image: Yonkers Police Department