A baby is safe after a car plunged into a marina in Wisconsin, thanks to the quick actions of the child’s mother and nearby bystanders, authorities said.
On the evening of Tuesday, Aug. 19, a woman was in her car with her 1-year-old child, securely strapped into a car seat, when the vehicle rolled past a parking space, under a fence, and down an embankment into the Menasha Marina near 1 Center Street in Menasha, according to the City of Menasha Police Department. Surveillance footage shared by authorities captured the car sliding into the water.
“The vehicle was attempting to park here, and then drove slowly — looks like an idle speed, or just a little bit of accelerator — and then it drove through here,” Matthew Roe, the community liaison officer for the Menasha Police Department, told FOX affiliate WLUK. “Missed the tree and the electrical connections right here.”
Described as acting with “extraordinary courage,” the mother worked to free her baby from the submerged car and got them both to safety, the police department said.
“As the mother worked to rescue her child, one community member sprinted toward the marina, scaling a fence without hesitation to reach them,” officials added. “This individual’s fearless response set the tone for the rescue.”
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After one person jumped the fence to reach the mother and toddler, two additional bystanders arrived to ensure they were safe. By 8:53 p.m. local time, officers responded to a report that a vehicle had entered the water.
Upon arrival, authorities confirmed that no one else was inside the car. There wasn’t much damage to the vehicle, Roe told WLUK, noting, “When the car drove under the fence, the fence just collapsed back down. You can see where the fence cap was knocked loose.”
He added, “The car went right underneath it — did not even damage the poles and the concrete foundation.”
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Following a preliminary investigation, police believe the incident resulted from “confusion in vehicle control,” authorities said. The mother may have accidentally pressed the gas instead of the brake while parking, according to WLUK. The incident remains under investigation.
When the vehicle was removed from the marina the next day, the water was so deep that the top of the car couldn’t be seen from the shore, Roe told the outlet.
Menasha Police Chief Nick Thorn praised the mother and community members for their bravery.
“The courage shown by this mother and the community members who rushed to her side prevented a tragedy,” he said in a statement. “Their actions reflect the very best of our community and remind us how powerful it is when people step forward in moments of need.”
