Baby Found Alive 12 Hours After Car Crashes Into River

A baby survived a car crash in a frigid Utah river after being strapped in a car seat upside-down for about 14 hours before being found by a fisherman.

Sunday, March 8th 2015, 5:27 pm

By: News 9


A baby survived a car crash in a frigid Utah river after being strapped in a car seat upside-down for about 14 hours before being found by a fisherman.

Police said Sunday the 18-month-old girl's condition was upgraded from critical to stable but critical condition at a Salt Lake City hospital, but her 25-year-old mother, Lynn Groesbeck of Springville, was found dead in the car.

Police Lt. Matt Johnson says a fisherman discovered her car on its top about 12:30 p.m. Saturday in the Spanish Fork River in Spanish Fork near Provo.

He says a nearby resident reported hearing "something" about 10:30 p.m. Friday, but was unable to locate anything out of the ordinary.

Police say the infant was found hanging upside down above the river water that flowed through the car.

Officials told CBS affiliate KUTV-TV in Salt Lake City that Groesbeck left her parent's home in Salem Friday evening around 10 p.m.

"It is unknown why the car left the roadway," Lt. Cory Slaymaker with the Spanish Fork Police Department said. "Our investigation shows the driver's side tire went up the cement barrier on the south end of the bridge - launching this woman and her baby into the freezing water."

Police said drugs and alcohol were not suspected factors in the crash.

Three police officers and four firefighters were treated for hypothermia, due to the frigid water, but have since been released.

Officials told KUTV the water is 10 feet deep in places.

Family members said Groesbeck was engaged to be married, but her fiance was out of the state during the incident.

The 18-month-old girl remains in Primary Children's Hospital in critical condition, KUTV reports.

© 2015 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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