Utah Mom Dies in Car Crash; Toddler Found Alive in Upside Down Vehicle in Frigid Utah River 13 Hours Later
An 18-month-old baby was miraculously recovered Saturday afternoon from a car that was floating in the Spanish Fork River in Utah for more than 13 hours.
Officials with the Spanish Fork Public Safety Department say that the baby's mother, 25-year-old Jennifer Groesbeck, crashed into the river around 10:30 p.m. Friday night. Her vehicle then remained upside down in the freezing river until it was discovered around 12:30 p.m. on Saturday, about 50 miles south of Salt Lake City.
Although the mother was found dead in the driver's seat, her daughter, Lily, managed to survive the crash. Officials also believe that the baby was hanging upside-down in her car seat the whole time.
"The baby was in a car seat in the backseat on the passenger side," Lt. Cory Slaymaker, Spanish Fork Police Departments said, according to ABC News. "The vehicle was on its top, so the car seat could have been out of the water. The car was on the embankment, so I don't know how much water was getting into the car."
He added that the water was so cold that emergency responders could only stay in for short periods of time, while seven workers had to be treated for hypothermia following the rescue mission.
Lily was flown to Primary Chidren's Hospital in Salt Lake City, where medical workers announced she was in stable but critical condition, police said.
According to the family, Lily was breathing on her own by Sunday evening.
"She's doing remarkably well considering what she went through," said Lily's aunt, Jill Sanderson, reports Fox 13. "The doctors so far have been hopeful, they haven't been able to give us a lot of information, the next 48 to 72 hours will be very critical in determining the outcome."
She added that the toddler has been "watching Dora and singing 'Wheels on the Bus' with Grandpa. She is smiling and laughing for family members. We're blown away by Lily's progress and so grateful to her rescuers," said Sanders.
The Spanish Fork Police Department and Utah Highway Patrol are investigating the crash, which may have occurred after Lily's mother hit a cement barrier on a bridge, causing her to drive into the river.
The family has raised more than $43,000 through GoFundMe for funeral arrangements and Lily's ongoing medical care.
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