Father Remains In Jail After Child Is Saved From Burning Car
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- Playtime along Oakdale Street on Pittsburgh's North Side has that country feel.
It's why Christina Grguras plays with her nephew Michael outside. However, it didn't have that country feel earlier this week.
Instead, it was a scene of mayhem – police, canine officers, the fire department and paramedics.
Police say they arrested a man who was high in heroin. His 1-year-old daughter in the back seat of a car that was about to go up in flames.
KDKA's Marty Griffin: "He had a needle stuck in his arm, passed out, baby in the back?"
Grguras: "Yeah. Car running and the window was cracked probably like that much."
Griffin: "A cigarette fell out of his mouth?"
Grguras: "Yeah, a cigarette was on his lap, burning his lap."
The car tracks are still visible from the vehicle where Grguras found the young father. The doors were locked and his daughter in a car seat in the back. The man was on fire.
"He still had no idea. It's insane; like how do you not know you're on fire," said Grguras.
She reacted quickly, calling 911 and pounding on the window. Police came, put out the fire, arrested the man and took the child away.
Griffin: "Do you feel like you saved his life and the kid's life?"
Grguras: "I think I did. I was more worried about the little baby, making sure she was okay cause she doesn't have a chance. She's tiny."
The father remains in jail. Police say the car he was driving was full of needles with heroin residue.
The baby was taken by police. There's no word on who has custody of the child at this time.
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