Video Shows the Terrifying Moment a Toddler in a Car Seat Fell Out of Moving Car

lzf/Shutterstock
lzf/Shutterstock

January 16, 2019

Hitting the road with a little one in tow means taking certain safety precautions, like ensuring that your child's car seat is installed properly. But it seems terrifying accidents still happen. A man from Minnesota named Chad Mock recently witnessed—and filmed—a gasp-worthy incident that's making headlines nationwide. In a flash, Mock saw a toddler who was buckled into a car seat fall out of a moving vehicle

Mock was driving in the city of Mankato on Monday, January 14 when he saw the rear passenger door of the car in front of him open suddenly. Within seconds, a toddler fastened into a car seat fell out of the moving vehicle and to the ground. Mock's dashcam captured footage of the horrifying moment. It also shows Mock and several other drivers getting out of their cars to check on the 2-year-old girl. The driver of the car the toddler came from was unaware, driving further down the road for some time.

Mock shared the video on Facebook writing, "If it didn't happen in front of me i'd never have believed it....😡 The child was ok. The parents came back. Paramedics and police checked the child out as well. Very lucky."

On Tuesday, the Mankato Department of Public Safety released a statement confirming that the child was not injured. They also noted that the child's mother was the driver, and the car seat was not fastened into the back seat of the vehicle. They didn't explain how the door opened.

Although police released the child to the mom after ruling out injuries, NBC News reports that police are requesting charges against the mother of child endangerment and of a child-restraint system not being fastened. 

This disturbing incident serves as a reminder that parents should always be mindful of using child safety locks in their vehicles and ensuring that their child's car seat is properly installed and fastened into the back seat.