In a startling incident in Fullerton, California, a mother has been taken into custody following a dangerous mishap involving her young child. Police report that the woman’s 19-month-old toddler fell from her SUV while she was driving, capturing the attention of both authorities and the public.

The unsettling sequence was caught on video, where the SUV is seen making a left turn at an intersection. During the turn, the front passenger door unexpectedly swings open, leading to the toddler’s fall onto the street.

Immediately after the incident, the SUV came to an abrupt halt, narrowly avoiding a collision with another vehicle trailing closely behind, as per the Fullerton police’s account.

The footage further reveals the driver, presumably the child’s mother, hastily exiting the SUV from the driver’s side. She quickly retrieves the child from the ground and returns to the vehicle, promptly leaving the scene thereafter.

The Fullerton police received a report from a witness on January 24, who recounted seeing the alarming event on January 20. The witness was able to provide crucial details that helped identify the vehicle involved in this incident.

Investigators later located the vehicle, the child and the woman at a home. Jacqueline Marie Hernandez, 35, was taken into custody on suspicion of child abuse.

Police said the 19-month-old child sustained injuries consistent with the fall and was taken to an area hospital for treatment. The toddler is expected to make a full recovery.

The incident remains under investigation.