On Thursday night, United Hatzalah volunteer EMT Yinon Tubul was driving home in Be’er Sheva when he came across a motor vehicle accident that was surrounded by policemen. A woman driver had been involved in a self-inflicted accident and sustained mild injuries. Yinon stopped to see if she needed medical attention.
The police officers led Yinon to the injured woman to treat her, but she refused to have any medical attention and asked to go home. The EMT noticed a strong scent of alcohol wafting from her. The policemen confirmed that the woman was driving under the influence of alcohol and consequently was going to be taken into police custody. One of the officers told Yinon that the woman had originally fled the scene but returned half-an-hour later to collect her damaged car.
While the officers spoke to the injured woman, Yinon approached the damaged car and noticed a child’s car seat belted into the back. Yinon asked the woman if there was a child in the car with her when she crashed. The woman responded by saying no, but that she does have a one-year-old daughter at home. The woman left her baby home alone while she came back to the scene to get her car. However, she was stuck at the scene and now being questioned by the police. She was therefore unable to return home and take care of her baby.
Yinon updated the officers immediately about the situation and told them he would drive quickly to the house to see what was going on there. The woman reluctantly handed them the key to her apartment. She immediately regretted it and fought to get the key back, denying them entry to her home. Yinon called the United Hatzalah Dispatch Center and received permission to enter the woman’s house because the child’s life was in danger.
Yinon arrived at the apartment and was surprised to find it in complete darkness. The one-year-old girl was sitting on the floor and playing peacefully in the dark room. After about 10 minutes the police arrived, and after an hour, a social worker from the Ministry of Welfare and Social Services arrived as well. The police and the EMT gave over a full report of the incident to the social worker so she understood the situation the child was in.
The woman had originally told Yinon that her baby was hungry and had not eaten for a long time, so he prepared a bottle with formula to feed the child. The woman refused to provide any information about the father of the baby. However, after many inquiries, the social services were able to contact the father and he quickly left work and came to the apartment, arriving approximately 30 minutes later.
“It was important for me to make sure that the baby was safe and taken care of,” said Yinon, “Once I checked the car and noticed a car seat, I realized that there might be a child in danger. It scares me to think what could have happened to the baby if no one had intervened.”
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