A shocking scene unfolded at a busy intersection in Fullerton when a 19-month-old toddler was thrown from a moving SUV — and somehow survived.
According to police, 35-year-old Jacqueline Hernandez was arrested on suspicion of felony child abuse after surveillance footage allegedly showed the child falling from the front passenger seat as the vehicle made a turn. The toddler tumbled onto the roadway, landing dangerously close to oncoming traffic. In a matter of seconds that could have ended in tragedy, a bystander sprinted into the street and carried the child to safety.
First responders arrived quickly. Authorities later confirmed the toddler’s injuries were not life-threatening — an outcome many are calling nothing short of miraculous.
Under California law, children under the age of two are required to ride in a rear-facing car seat positioned in the back seat of a vehicle, unless specific height or weight exceptions apply. Safety experts stress that proper restraint dramatically reduces the risk of severe injury or death in crashes — and even during sudden stops or turns.
Investigators are continuing to review the circumstances surrounding the incident, including whether the child was properly secured at the time. Officials have not released additional details about what led up to the moment captured on camera.
For many in the community, the incident raises troubling questions. How could a toddler end up in such a vulnerable position? Were seat belt and child restraint laws ignored — or did something else go wrong inside that vehicle?
What remains undeniable is how close this came to catastrophe. In the span of a single turn through an intersection, multiple layers of protection meant to safeguard a child appear to have failed.
This time, the outcome was survival. But the margin was razor thin.