Vermont Mom Rescues Toddler from Sinking Car in River

A mother's instinct and determination saved two lives when her car crashed into the Ottaquechee River in Quechee, Vermont on Monday afternoon.

The vehicle went into the water off Main Street near the Mill Run Condominiums around 12:49 p.m. When firefighters from the Hartford Fire Department arrived, they found the woman clinging to the partially submerged car as it floated downstream.

But her 2-year-old son wasn't with her in the water. He was already safe on shore, thanks to his mother's quick thinking in those terrifying moments after impact.

The woman had cut through the deployed airbag with something sharp, unbuckled her toddler from his car seat, and helped him reach the riverbank before the car could sink further or drift away. She did all this while likely disoriented from the crash and fighting against cold river water rushing into the vehicle.

Firefighters helped both mother and child from the river. Rescue swimmers confirmed no one else had been in the car during the accident.

Sunny's Take

This story reminds us that everyday people become extraordinary when they need to be. This mom didn't have time to panic or overthink. She just acted.

Her preparation mattered too. She knew how to release that car seat buckle in the dark, underwater chaos because she'd done it hundreds of times before during normal days. That muscle memory saved precious seconds when seconds meant everything.

Both were taken to Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center as a precaution, but neither suffered serious injuries. Hartford police are still investigating what caused the car to leave the road.

The Ottaquechee River runs through the scenic village of Quechee, popular with tourists visiting the nearby gorge. Main Street was temporarily closed as crews worked to pull the vehicle from the water.

This mother and son went home that night when things could have ended very differently.