Teen Son Helps Save Mom After Car Plunges Into Miami Springs Canal

Mother and son escape sinking car that drove into canal

A teen son's quick actions helped save his mother's life after their car plunged into a Miami Springs canal Monday night.

The incident happened around 7 p.m. near LeJeune Road and Okeechobee Road when the woman, Maria Rivera, accidentally hit the gas instead of the brake while she was parking her Jeep Cherokee.

The car crashed through a fence and into the canal where it quickly began to sink. Rivera's son, Franklin Natta, said he started to work quickly because his mother can't swim.

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"I was just scared and trying to like get her out," Natta said. "At first I tried breaking the passenger seat window, I cracked it at the last minute but the car was sinking too fast."

Natta, 15, said he remembered there was a back window that was broken and could be easily opened.

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"I put it down, I grabbed her, I threw her out the car, I told her grab on to the top," Natta said. "I swam out, I told her stay there for I could go get help, I went to go get help, the people came back and then they already had her out of the water."

Miami-Dade Fire Rescue and Hialeah Fire Rescue responded to the scene to assist.

Rivera and Natta were both doing fine.

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