FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – A 3-year-old girl was released from the hospital Wednesday, nearly two weeks after she was involved in a car crash in Deerfield Beach that killed her mother.
Broward sheriff's firefighters and paramedics were at Broward Health Medical Center as Aubrey was released from the hospital.
Doctors said the young girl spent four to five minutes under water.
"She is doing well. She is back to baseline and she's going to be good," Dr. Laurie Wiggan said.
Firefighters and hospital car seat technicians installed a new car seat for Aubrey that was purchased by firefighters for the family.
"I'll tell you, it's an absolute miracle what happened. I can't explain it any other way. It's an absolute miracle," firefighter Brian Baker said. "I think of this call more than anything because I have a 1-year-old at home and it hit a little more this time around."
Firefighters also joined Aubrey's family at their West Palm Beach home as they were reunited with the young girl.
"Without them, she probably wouldn't have made it," Aubrey's grandmother told reporters outside their home.
Florida Highway Patrol troopers said Aubrey's mother, Cynthia Hutchinson, 42, died Christmas Eve at Broward Health North, a day after their Hyundai Elantra veered off Interstate 95 into a canal near Southwest 10th Street.
Aubrey's father, Christopher Herndon, 42, told troopers that he was able to escape from the vehicle, but he couldn't get his daughter or Hutchinson out of the car.
Broward Sheriff's Office Fire Rescue spokesman Mike Jachles said about 20 people jumped into the water to try to rescue the mother and daughter.
Troopers eventually helped pull the two from the water, and Hutchinson was taken to Broward Health North while Aubrey was taken to Broward Health Medical Center in critical condition.
Hutchinson died the next day.
Authorities believe Hutchinson was driving when the crash happened, but a member of her family told Local 10 News that they don't believe that's accurate.
"The obstacle was, the car was up on its roof, they weren't able to get into the car because of the suction," FHP Sgt. John Baker said. "A witness said he didn't see anything prior to the vehicle swerving. He just saw the vehicle going across all lanes at a diagonal direction."
The crash remains under investigation.