A Good Samaritan Describes the Crucial Seconds After a Baby Fell onto the Tracks
File photo.
Erin Turingan was on the platform at the 72nd Street subway station when a stroller rolled over the edge and onto the subway tracks. She explained in an an email to West Side Rag what happened next.
By Erin Turingan
I had just arrived to the platform waiting for the uptown 1 train and stood by the elevator where I always do on my way to work as an ambulatory pharmacy manager. I had clinic that morning starting at 10AM, so I was catching a later train than usual. In my peripheral view, I saw almost in slow motion the stroller rolling and the father missing catching it by an inch.
He screamed, and his older son started crying immediately. The father jumped into the tracks and I went to the older son to comfort him briefly and when the father got the baby out of the stroller, he yelled “Can you help me up?” and I grabbed his hand to pull him out.
I then immediately called 911 and started the dispatch conversation. By this time other people came and a man went into the tracks to get the stroller and other belongings that fell.
The uptown 2 train had arrived (the MTA agent referenced in the article) and the father and agent were speaking while I was on the phone with 911 describing the situation and the parties involved. The 1 train came a few minutes later.
The dispatch helped instruct me to describe our clothing to be recognized by EMS. Myself and another woman who had arrived on the scene helped the father and children bring the stroller into the elevator to go up to the EMS. I saw the EMS and called them in, asking “Are you here for the baby?” and corralled the family out to meet them.
Once I saw that they were being placed in the EMS, I went back downstairs and went to my clinic in time for my 10AM appointment.
As a health care professional, it was immediate instinct to consider safety and health of the baby first and foremost. I would love an opportunity to share my story as one of the many Good Samaritans at the scene who witnessed a good ending that could have been so much worse.
THANK YOU (and the others) for what you did, Erin Turingan! And thank you for writing this.
+1!!!
Most importantly, thank you Erin for the role you played in helping the baby and it’s family.
Now random detail- why did someone jump into the subway platform to get the stroller? Obviously understand going after your baby, but an object? Did they know the subways were shut off and the voltage was off?
You were at the right place and the right time to help save this baby. I hope you two can meet in the future. We love you.