Orlando police officers help save family after car flipped over in canal

ORLANDO, Fla. - Emotional moments caught on bodycam as Orlando Police Officer Mckenzie Greene sees a car flipped over with a family inside off Lee Vista Boulevard.

"It’s a 4-year-old baby, guys, a male and 4-year-old baby," Officer Greene described the moment. "There was a 7 to 8-year-old kid just screaming, gut curdling."

As little Gabriel told them his father and baby brother were in the car, they quickly ran to help. Corp Maranford Johnson said, "We just immediately started taking off our gear and jumped in."

And when they jumped in, they discovered good Samaritan, Jose Diaz, already in rescue mode. Officer Tyler Smith said "he called 911. He also went into the water and held the child before we got there."

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Officer Greene was able to take over and grab the child. Officer Greene said she "cut the seatbelt to the car seat. I just pulled him out. The guys pulled me out with him in my arms."

Officer Smith added that "the father was able to talk to us so he had an air pocket."

The father was in the passenger seat but rescuers were able to get him out after cutting off the doors. They spent 30 to 40 minutes in the chilly water.

The father, Gabriel Carrero, considers it a Christmas gift that he and his two sons, Gabriel Jr. and 4-year-old Jose, survived after running over something and landing in the canal.

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"When I hit the boardwalk, the car lost control and start to jumping,” he said.  

As this family gets ready to celebrate Christmas, even rescuers believe good Samaritan Jose Diaz helped save the day.

Officer Smith said, "I believe in God and God definitely put him in that position to ultimately save lives."

Tune in to FOX 35 Orlando for the latest Central Florida news.