lake night eveningEarly Tuesday morning, 3-year-old toddler Sariyah Michel narrowly escaped death when her mother lost control of the car she and her father were also in and plunged into a Florida lake. It's horrifying to think such a horrific accident could occur in the first place -- I mean, what mother hasn't worried about having to rescue her kid out of a water-submerged car? Even more heartbreaking, though, this accident came as a direct result of little Sariyah's parents being engaged in a violent domestic dispute in the car at the time, which caused the accident that ultimately killed Sariyah's father.

Luckily, a bulging diaper came to Sariyah's rescue after her parents' fatal mistake. That's right -- a diaper is believed to have saved the little girl from drowning.

I remember how my kids' diapers would plump up when they had an extremely liquid-losing nap or overnight sleep, and the time I forgot to pack the swim diapers, we totally freaked how the regular diapers doubled in size when submerged in water. Of course, still, I'd never think one of those swollen soggy things could be a lifesaver!

According to the Broward Sheriff’s Office release, right before the accident took place, Sariyah's dad Sandro Michel, 27, was wailing on her mom Catherine Copeland, 33, who was driving the car. Sandro was already on probation for domestic battery and under court order not to have any contact with Catherine, so I'm not sure what the couple was doing together in a car. That mistake could have ended their dear daughter's life and did end the life of her father.

Thank goodness for that diaper at a time when Sariyah's dad wasn't thinking first of her safety and it's unclear what her mom was thinking. The deputy at the scene says Sariyah "popped up like a cork" in the lake before they rushed her to the hospital. Thank goodness!

Have you ever heard such a thing about diaper buoyancy?

 

Image via blaahhi/Flickr