News

2 Babies Ejected from Van in Horrific Crash After Massive Car Seat 'Mistake'

NewsPublished Dec 14, 2018
By Genny Glassman
car accidentTwitter/FHPTampa

Two young children are injured after their family van flipped off the highway in Hillsborough County, Florida. The accident happened early Thursday morning, when the back tire of the car they were traveling in popped and caused their vehicle to overturn. But things only got worse when police investigating the incident discovered that the adults had reportedly neglected to perform one key safety precaution before driving.

The horrific accident happened at 8:30 a.m. Thursday in the southbound lanes of Interstate 75.-placeholder
The horrific accident happened at 8:30 a.m. Thursday in the southbound lanes of Interstate 75.
Twitter/FHPTampa

The horrific accident happened at 8:30 a.m. Thursday in the southbound lanes of Interstate 75.

According to ABC Action News, the driver of the car was 20-year-old Libis Juarez, who was reportedly driving his family on the road early that morning. The car also contained a 4-month-old and 1-year-old, as well as 34-year-old Marcela Pacheco.

Things became serious when the back tire of their car blew out, causing Juarez to lose control and everyone to end up ejected from the vehicle.-placeholder
Things became serious when the back tire of their car blew out, causing Juarez to lose control and everyone to end up ejected from the vehicle.
Twitter/FHPTampa

Things became serious when the back tire of their car blew out, causing Juarez to lose control and everyone to end up ejected from the vehicle.

The car eventually ran off-road and overturned several times in the median. In the aftermath, Juarez and Pacheco were discovered partially ejected whereas the two young children had been completely thrown from the car.

Although there were car seats in the van, authorities noted one important factor that likely contributed to this incident.-placeholder
Although there were car seats in the van, authorities noted one important factor that likely contributed to this incident.
Twitter/FHPTampa

Although there were car seats in the van, authorities noted one important factor that likely contributed to this incident.

Police report that neither of the children was buckled into a car seats. Although the 4-month-old was in his rear-facing car seat that was buckled into the seat, the child's straps weren't fastened before the accident. As for the 1-year-old, he also wasn't buckled in and his car seat itself wasn't even secured.

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) advises that children stay in rear-facing car seats for "as long as possible." Of course, no car seat will help much if neither the child nor the seat are properly buckled in.

The family has since been transported to Tampa General Hospital with serious injuries. The Florida Highway Patrol tweeted that, miraculously, none of the injuries to the children or the adults is life-threatening.

The driver has since been charged with driving without a valid driver's license, not wearing his seat belt, and two child seat violations.

car seat safety
Cafemom Logo
This is motherhood #nofilter

AboutTermsContactPrivacyPRIVACY SETTINGSSUBMIT A STORY
© 2024 WILD SKY MEDIA.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
PART OF WILD SKY MEDIA
| FAMILY & PARENTING
CAFEMOMMAMÁSLATINAS
LITTLETHINGSMOM.COM
This site is owned and operated by Bright Mountain Media, Inc., a publicly owned company trading with the symbol: BMTM.