Texas officers rescue infant from car trapped in floodwaters | Texas

Authorities in Texas rescued a baby after a vehicle was swept away by floodwaters in Beeville, south of San Antonio, on Saturday.

Video Footage released Sunday by the Beeville Police Department showed officers and firefighters surrounding a white car partially submerged in fast-moving water. When first responders approached the vehicle, a distressed man in the vehicle asked: “Can you take my child?”

The first responder responded: “Yes, give me the baby,” and reached toward the baby through the passenger side window.

As first responders pulled the baby in the baby carrier out of the vehicle, the driver yelled, “Cover her, cover her!” he shouted. Another responder put a high-vis jacket over the baby carrier after it was safely carried to the curb and placed in a grassy area.

According to police, the incident occurred after rapid rainfall overcame the low water passage. The storm grew so quickly that barricades had not yet been placed near the crossing, officials said.

The police department stated that no one was injured during the rescue, adding, “As the vehicle approached the crossing, the fire chief attempted to wave to the driver to prevent him from entering the water, but the driver did not see him in time.”

The statement warned: “Situations like this are a reminder that floodwaters are nothing to gamble with. It doesn’t take a lot of moving water to push a vehicle off the road, and by the time you realize how dangerous it is, it may be too late.”

“If there are barricades around a road or crossing, please do not go around them. They are there for a reason. Going around barricades is not only putting lives at risk, it is also a criminal offense,” the police department added.

Police warned drivers to slow down during heavy rainfall, stay off flooded roads and be particularly careful at stream crossings and other flood-prone areas, saying: “No job, shortcut or destination is worth risking your or your family’s safety.”