LAKELAND, FL — A Florida man suspected of driving under the influence crashed his vehicle, flipped it over and then ran into a swamp carrying a baby and a toddler, according to the Lakeland Police Department.
Drone video reviewed by police showed 27-year-old Isaac Kinsey struggling in the water before dropping the children. Officers later rescued both children and arrested Kinsey after he showed reported signs of impairment, police said.
The children were taken to a hospital for treatment and have since been released. Police said the incident could have ended far worse without the quick response from officers and the use of drone technology.
Drone footage captured the moment Kinsey lost control while wading through the swamp
Police say the drone video showed Kinsey carrying the 2-year-old and the 10-month-old after the crash as he moved through difficult swamp terrain. In the footage, he repeatedly struggled to keep his balance while wading through water and falling down.
According to investigators, the toddler was left behind in the swamp while Kinsey kept moving with the younger child. The video then showed him dropping the baby into the water as he continued to try to escape.
The footage became a key part of the rescue effort because it helped officers track where the children were located. Lakeland police said the environment made the search especially difficult, and the drone gave responders a much faster way to find the children.
Officers say the children were rescued quickly and taken for medical care
Police said responders were able to reach the children and pull them from the swamp after the drone identified their location. Both children were then taken to a hospital to be treated for injuries sustained during the crash and the struggle in the water.
Authorities said the children were later released from the hospital. No additional details were immediately provided about the extent of their injuries, but police emphasized that the rapid rescue likely prevented a deadlier outcome.
Lakeland Police Chief Sammy Taylor Jr. praised the responding officers and the department’s drone team in a statement, saying the children were found in an extremely difficult environment and given the medical care they needed.
Police say Kinsey showed signs of impairment before his arrest
Kinsey was taken into custody after officers encountered him following the crash and swamp search. Police said he showed reported signs of impairment, which led investigators to suspect DUI as a factor in the incident.
The arrest came after what police described as a chaotic sequence: a crash, a rollover, a run into the swamp and a rescue operation involving two very young children. Officers have not said exactly how the crash happened, but they did describe the vehicle as rolling over before Kinsey fled on foot.
Authorities have not publicly detailed whether the children were Kinsey’s or how they came to be with him at the time of the crash.
Kinsey faces misdemeanor and felony charges tied to child abuse and driving offenses
Police said Kinsey faces eight misdemeanor charges and three felony charges. Among the felony counts are two charges of negligent child abuse with great bodily harm.
Those accusations reflect both the driving case and the danger officers say the children faced once the vehicle crashed. The case remains in the hands of investigators, and police have not announced any further court developments.
The department’s statement focused heavily on the risk to the children and the role of the officers who entered the swamp to reach them. Taylor said the children could very easily have lost their lives without the fast response.
Lakeland police highlight drone use as a tool in dangerous searches
Officials said the rescue showed how drone technology can help police handle fast-moving emergencies in places that are hard for people to search safely. In this case, the swamp setting and the water made the location especially hazardous for officers on the ground.
Police said the drone allowed responders to narrow in on the children far more quickly than a traditional search might have. That speed mattered because the children were small, the terrain was dangerous and Kinsey was still moving through the area when officers were trying to reach them.
The department’s statement framed the incident as a reminder that a rapid response can make the difference between injury and tragedy when children are involved in a crash or pursuit.
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