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Authorities search for child swept away by floodwaters

Posted at 8:22 AM, Sep 17, 2018
and last updated 2018-09-17 09:22:19-04

Authorities are searching for a 1-year-old boy who was swept away by floodwaters in North Carolina after the boy’s mother lost her grip on him.

Union County Sheriff’s Office spokesman Tony Underwood said a woman and her child were on their way to visit relatives when she drove past some barricades on highway 218 in northern Union County. The woman later told authorities someone had pushed the barricades to the side a little, making her think it was OK to go through.

The woman’s car was swept off the road by the floodwaters, pinning it against a group of trees. She was able to free 1-year-old Kaiden Lee-Welch from his car seat and escape. But the waters were deep, and Underwood said the woman lost her grip and her son was swept away.