A two-year-old boy dies after his mother drove a car in floodwaters in Indiana

May 3, 2019, 16:39 UTC

By Minyvonne Burke

A 2-year-old boy from Indiana died Thursday after his mother drove her car into floodwaters as a result of a storm that raged in the area with heavy rains.

In a press release, Indiana State Police announced that 22-year-old Anthonitte Carter from Indianapolis was driving on a road in Wabash County around 1:40 pm . when she passed a sign warning motorists of possible floods.

After entering floodwaters, police said Carter's Chevrolet Impala was washed away by a current on the north side of the road before it became completely submerged.

Carter escaped, but she failed to release her son, Eric Long. Police said the car was found in about eight feet of water and was to be removed by a local towing company. Longer's body was found inside, the department said.

The Indiana Department of Natural Resources and the Wabash County Sheriff's Department helped save Carter, who could not swim and struggled in the water.

Carter told the authorities that she did not see the warning sign on the road. Indiana State Police said the incident was under investigation.

According to WTHR, affiliated with NBC, the region received more than two inches of rain this week and two inches of rain last week.

In one tweet On Thursday, the Indiana Department of Homeland Security asked drivers to avoid areas where they could stand or run.

"We can not overemphasize the dangers of driving on flooded roads," the agency said.