Florida

Mother and Infant Rescued After Car Goes Into Pond in Broward

A mother and her infant were rescued from a sinking car after they somehow ended up in a pond near the Florida's Turnpike near Lauderhill Friday morning.

The incident happened on the Turnpike southbound ramp near Sunrise Boulevard, officials said.

Lauderhill Fire Rescue officials said bystanders saw the car go into the pond and quickly rescued the mom and infant. They were taken to Plantation General Hospital with minor injuries.

Miguel Enrique said he waded through the water to reach the car.

"I'm not a hero. What's important to me is that I saved two lives," Enrique told NBC 6 in Spanish. "I got to the water and it was getting deeper and deeper and I told the lady 'I'll save the baby and then come back and save you.'"

Enrique and his co-workers were part of a landscaping crew that was cutting trees nearby when the car went into the water.

Enrique said he climbed into the SUV through the rear door, unhooked the child out of the car seat, and handed the baby to another man who stopped to help.

"I didn't know if it was deep or it was shallow, but I had to go rescue them," Enrique said. "Because I have children...and maybe tomorrow somebody will help my family or whoever needs it."

Footage from the scene showed the car almost completely submerged in the water. The driver's side window appeared to be smashed.

Fire crews from Lauderhill, Plantation, Tamarac and North Lauderdale all responded to the scene.

The cause of the crash will be investigated.

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