An 18-month-old suffered minor cuts during a high-speed police chase
An 18-month-old toddler was heaved from an SUV during a high-speed police chase in Lubbock, Texas Wednesday and survived with minor injuries.
In a recorded video from inside the police car, the SUV’s windows were rolled down during the chase when the car flipped on its back and returned to an upright position. The 18-month-old toddler was tossed from the SUV through its open window during the flip. After the toddler quickly rose from the ground and stumbled toward the already moving car, one of the passengers exited and grabbed the toddler who was tossed from the SUV.
Lubbock Police Sgt. Jonathan Stewart identified the 16-year-old woman, who grabbed the toddler tossed from the SUV, to have been her mother. The woman then ran into the darkness with the toddler in her arms.
In the car were four teenagers, the toddler’s 17-year-old father, Kenny Shawn Jimenez, two 16-year-olds and one 14-year-old.
Stewart said, “I think anybody who looks at that video would be shocked to see the kid actually stand up and be walking around, and seeming OK,” adding, “It’s pretty miraculous it was just minor injuries that the child sustained.”
After a visit to the hospital, the toddler tossed from the SUV was released with only cuts and bruises.
The police began the high-speed pursuit after a robbery call was made. The group of teens robbed Chelsea Betenbough, 19, at gunpoint, and proceeded to take flight in a stolen car.
Betenbough described the incident to the police: “He turned around and was like, ‘No, give me your purse!’ and me not really thinking, I was like, ‘No,’ ” Betenbough told NBC News. “He said, ‘I will shoot you, give me your purse,’” and she surrendered her purse.
Betenbough noticed in the backseat, the toddler would soon be tossed from the SUV to end the pursuit, according to MSNBC.com.
According to CNN, Jimenez is charged with aggravated robbery, injury to a child, the stolen vehicle, fleeing from arrest and organized crime, Stewart said. All the teens were equally charged, but the names of the other three are undisclosed because they are underage.
