On Tuesday, October 29, 2024 at approximately 5:57 p.m. Polk County Fire Rescue and Winter Haven Fire Department responded to 884 Cypress Gardens Blvd, Winter Haven, FL 33880 in reference to an “unknown problem.”
At approximately 6:04 p.m., units arrived on scene and located one 18-month-old patient with injuries. The patient was then transported via Aeromed from the scene.
PCSO also responded to determine if this was an accidental injury or not. According to the investigation, which included interviews with multiple independent witnesses, it was determined that a family was heading westbound on CGB in their Hyundai when the driver decided to make a lawful U-turn at the intersection with SE Plaza Roadway. There were three children in the backseat, lawfully restrained, including a car seat for the toddler. The toddler got himself out of the car seat and as the car was making the U-turn, fell out of the open back window. The child’s mother, when she realized what had happened, exited the vehicle and ran back to get the child, who was being held by one of several witnesses who had stopped. The child who was taken to a hospital thankfully only had minor injuries.
