Baby Crawls in Middle of Street; South Euclid Rachel Downey Saves

A baby was found crawling in the middle of a busy street intersection in South Euclid, Ohio, Saturday, August 8. The boy was 14 months old and wearing only a diaper and green onesie.

Rachel Downey spotted the toddler upon reaching the intersection and abruptly braked to prevent other cars from hitting the boy. The baby was crawling and only his movement alerted Downey of his presence; she said she may have hit him otherwise. Katy Nozar, who was driving behind Downey, also saw the toddler but mistook him for a doll.

According to Downey, no one caring for the toddler was to be seen but a nearby house had its front door open. Upon asking to speak with the mother of a 9-year-old girl who ran out of the house, the girl grabbed her brother and disappeared into her home while screaming.

Reporters covering the story could not reach the mother for comment, and the case has been turned over to county social workers. Police are investigating and say an older child was babysitting the toddler while the mother was upstairs, and that the toddler wandered out after a construction worker left the door unlocked.