What began as a brief stop at a Florida restaurant ended in panic when a four-year-old girl was injured after her father's car was towed with her still inside.
The incident, captured on surveillance and bystander video, unfolded outside a Sunrise eatery and has now led to felony charges against the tow truck driver.
Investigators say warnings were ignored as the vehicle was driven away, setting off a frantic chase and raising serious questions about towing procedures and child safety.
Police identified the driver who was arrested and charged with child neglect without significant bodily harm, a felony under Florida law.
Tow Driver Drove Off While 4-Year-Old Still Inside Car
The incident happened on 15 December 2025, outside Bistro Creole on West Oakland Park Boulevard. Police said the father briefly went inside the restaurant while his daughter remained in the parked car. Surveillance footage shows a tow truck arriving and beginning to tow almost immediately.
@abc11news Driver charged after allegedly towing a car with a four-year-old girl inside forcing her to jump out to escape #tow #child #escape #florida
♬ original sound - ABC11 - ABC11
As the vehicle was pulled away, witnesses said the tow truck driver did not stop, even after being alerted that a child was inside. One witness is heard shouting, 'His kid is in there!' as the truck continued down the road.
Investigators later said the father tried to get the driver's attention at the window, but the vehicle kept moving.
Father Runs After His Child
Video evidence shows the father sprinting after the tow truck as it accelerated away from the restaurant. Witnesses told police he repeatedly shouted for the driver to stop, clearly distressed and focused only on reaching his daughter.
A Florida tow truck driver was arrested on Sunday after he towed a car that had a four-year-old girl inside‼️ Authorities say the child fell from the car as it was being taken away‼️ pic.twitter.com/0aQg4AmUzh
— Meidas_Charise Lee (@charise_lee) December 18, 2025
According to the arrest report, the chase continued along the busy roadway. The situation became even more dangerous moments later, when the father saw his daughter fall from the moving car and ran into traffic to reach her.
Child Jumps Out, Leading To Injuries
Police confirmed the child fell onto West Oakland Park Boulevard, where traffic was flowing normally at the time. A 911 call captured the panic as bystanders rushed to help and moved the child out of harm's way. In the recording, a woman can be heard telling the girl, 'It's OK, don't cry.'
Officers said the child suffered scratches and bruises to her arms and legs. She was taken to the hospital as a precaution and later released. Police added that the father reported his daughter was doing well and expected to recover fully.
Outrage as Horrifying Tow Video Spreads
Footage of the towing incident quickly circulated online, drawing strong reactions from viewers. Many users questioned how the car could have been towed without noticing a child inside. Others focused on the moment the father warned the driver, arguing the video showed clear signs of distress.
ICYMI: A tow truck driver in Florida towed a car with a 4-year-old child still inside while people screamed for him to stop.
— Tony Lane 🇺🇸 (@TonyLaneNV) December 18, 2025
He didn’t.
He was arrested later — but the child was inside the entire time.
What should the punishment be?
Sometimes these situations happen during… pic.twitter.com/30IsmLsS5Z
Some commenters criticised the circumstances leading up to the tow, while others defended the father, noting he ran outside immediately after noticing the truck. The debate has continued as more footage and details emerged.
Tow Driver Faces Felony Charges
Police identified the driver as Sergio Suarez, 34, who was arrested and charged with child neglect without significant bodily harm, a felony under Florida law. Suarez appeared in bond court, where Judge Corey Friedman addressed the case, saying, 'There was a child in the vehicle, who then had to jump out of the vehicle in the middle of the road.'
Friedman also questioned claims that the car had been checked, adding it did not make sense given the injuries involved. Suarez's lawyer denied wrongdoing, stating, 'He checked the car three times, and there was no child inside.'
Suarez was released on a $10,000 (£7,475) bond and the case remains under investigation as prosecutors review video evidence, witness accounts, and police reports.
