HOUSTON – Two children, both under the age of five, somehow survived a violent rollover crash in which they both were ejected from the vehicle.
Video from moments after the crash has since gone viral, collecting millions of views around the nation as the two toddlers, wearing only diapers, pick themselves up from the hot asphalt.
The video, shared with KPRC 2, started just after all of the vehicles involved came to a stop. You can see a man running towards the children, who appear to be stunned.
Other videos shared with KPRC 2′s Gage Goulding show the children bloodied and are too graphic to share.
“And by sheer miracle, they sustained very minor injuries and are expected to survive,” said Harris County Sheriff’s Ed Gonzalez.
The crash happened around 7 p.m. this past Sunday on the I-10 East Freeway near Freeport Blvd.
According to Sheriff Gonzalez, a driver in the exit lane entered the main travel lanes, slamming into the Jeep the children were riding in along with their father.
“Then the Jeep flipped over,” the sheriff said.
The white Jeep rolled over several times leading to the children to be thrown from the vehicle.
Neither of the children—ages one and four years old—were in car seat or even buckled in.
“I’m still shocked that they’re alive,” Sheriff Gonzalez said. “By state law, you’re supposed to have a car seat of your eight years old or younger. Neither, had a seatbelt on, so it’s very reckless and irresponsible.”
It’s that recklessness that could land the children’s dad charges.
According to the Harris County Sheriff’s Office, no one has been officially charged, but investigators are not ruling that out.
“There could be charges filed,” the sheriff said. “So, we’re not ruling that out. We just want to complete a few loose ends.”
The good news is that both children are expected to make a full recovery.