At approximately 1:20 p.m. California Highway Patrol responded to an accident on Avenue 13 after a woman ran the stop sign at the northbound service road and struck a van traveling eastbound over the overpass. City of Madera Fire Department, Madera Police and Sheriff’s personnel also responded.

In the van were a mother, grandmother and three children, including the infant.

CHP Commander, Lt. Bill Leist, stated that the baby was ejected from the van as it skidded, rolled and tumbled down the embankment.

"It appears as though the driver of the van took evasive action [upon seeing the other vehicle enter the roadway] and was unable to maintain control of the vehicle," Leist said.

Leist, who took the 7-year old passenger from the van under his wing and cheered her up with a CHP stuffed animal, Chip the Chipmunk, stated that the other occupants appeared to be uninjured. "she [the 7-year old] was crying," Leist said. "She thought her sister [the infant] was dead."

Leist stated that while the baby had a bad laceration on her head and possibly a skull fracture, she was "crying pretty hard, good and loud. That’s a good sign."

Pistoresi Ambulance transported the baby, along with the other family members, to Madera Community Hospital.

	Several People check one of the passengers before they are taken to a nearby hosptial for treatment
At first glance it is hard to belive anyone walked away from this accient, especially when they were possibly unbuckeled.