Dramatic video shows deputy rescuing baby trapped inside car after deadly crash in Florida

A sheriff's deputy in southwestern Florida is being praised for saving the life of an infant who was found trapped and unresponsive inside a car that had just been hit by a speeding motorcycle. The collision, which left the motorcyclist dead, and its chaotic aftermath were recorded in dash camera and body camera video footage.

That video, released by the Charlotte County Sheriff's Office, shows Deputy Sgt. Dave Musgrove driving along a main roadway in Englewood, about 50 miles north of Fort Myers, when a bright flash suddenly appears in the distance followed by a mangled motorcycle strewn in the middle of the roadway. Musgrove pulls over as he approaches the motorcycle and steps out to find a car stopped along the side of the road.

The motorcyclist had been traveling at speeds over 100 miles per hour, according to the sheriff's office, and slammed into the car. The collision killed the motorcyclist, but inside the car a woman and her young child were alive and screaming. In the video footage, Musgrove first removes the child from the car and handed her to a bystander to whom he called out for help. Then, the deputy uncovers an infant still strapped into a car seat who is initially unresponsive. She did not have a pulse and was not breathing, the sheriff's office said in a statement.

Musgrove in the video then pulls the baby from the car seat and begins to perform chest compressions until she finally inhales. An emergency medical services crew arrived at the scene shortly after and continued life-saving measures on the infant, who eventually had a detectable pulse, according to the sheriff's office.

"It was a miracle that the officer was right there, witnessed the accident, and got to her right away," Lisa Foley, the baby's grandmother, told CBS affiliate WINK News. 

The baby, named Lola, has regained some mobility in her legs and arms since being hospitalized after the accident, although she has continued to have frequent seizures, said her grandfather, Tim Foley, in comments to the station. Both the mother and the older child are "doing well," according to the sheriff's office. 

"The actions of Sgt. Musgrove are to be commended," Charlotte County Sheriff Bill Prummel said in a statement. "His poise and calm demeanor in a scene of chaos and tragedy ultimately saved the life of a beautiful child. ... This was a senseless accident that resulted in a life lost, but it would have been two lives had Dave not been there. Still, I offer my thoughts and prayers to the friends and family of the motorcyclist and I ask that you keep this mother and her children in your prayers." 

In:
• Car Crash
• Florida

Emily Mae Czachor

Emily Mae Czachor is a reporter and news editor at CBSNews.com. She covers breaking news, often focusing on crime and extreme weather. Emily Mae has previously written for outlets including the Los Angeles Times, BuzzFeed and Newsweek.

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