A Florida man crashed his car while allegedly drunk, then fled into a swamp with his baby and toddler, dropping both while running from police

A single-vehicle crash sent Isaac Kinsey’s car past a road-closure sign and into a construction zone on Highway 33 near North Combee Road in Lakeland. The 27-year-old then ran into a nearby swamp with his two children, a toddler and an infant, according to the New York Post. Officers responding to the crash noticed two empty car seats still inside the vehicle, which set off an immediate search joined by a drone unit.

Roughly half an hour in, aerial footage from the drone picked up Kinsey’s location in dense, waterlogged woods south of the crash site. The footage that followed showed him going down again and again in the mud, and each fall sent one of the children into the standing water beneath him. Alligators are known to live in the area, putting his children’s safety at the center of the search from the start.

“Where are you? Come out this way, come out this way!” one officer shouted, aiming a flashlight into the brush. When officers reached Kinsey, one told him, “Give me the baby! Give me the baby now!” before taking the crying infant from his arms.

Then came the charge sheet

Police said both children needed hospital treatment for their injuries, and Kinsey was hospitalized as well. Kinsey allegedly told officers he had been drinking and driving on a suspended license when the crash happened, police said. The outlet did not indicate whether anyone attempted to reach Kinsey’s family for comment.

He faces eight misdemeanor charges and three felony charges. Police described the two felony counts as negligent child abuse causing great bodily harm, one for each child. That language corresponds to child neglect causing great bodily harm under Florida Statute 827.03(2)(b), a second-degree felony. It carries up to 15 years in prison, 15 years of probation, and a $10,000 fine, though the charging document hasn’t been made public.

Driving under the influence in Florida falls under Florida Statute 316.193. A first offense normally carries a fine of $500 to $1,000, and that range roughly doubles when a minor is in the vehicle. Driving on a suspended license, which Kinsey allegedly admitted to, is typically charged under Florida Statute 322.34, a second-degree misdemeanor carrying up to 60 days in jail on a first offense.

The construction-site crash could also fall under Florida Statute 316.061, leaving the scene of a crash involving property damage. Neither of those last two has been confirmed among the charges filed, and the remaining counts have not been detailed by police. “This incident could have ended with the loss of two innocent lives,” the Lakeland Police Department wrote in a statement.

“The rapid deployment of LakelandPD’s drone technology, along with the persistence and teamwork of responding officers, helped locate the children in an extremely difficult environment and get them the care they needed. There is no excuse for impaired driving. We are thankful these children survived and proud of the officers whose actions helped prevent an even greater tragedy.”