Toddler Rescued From Route 9 By Good Samaritan In Berkeley

BERKELEY, NJ — A toddler who was rescued from the middle of Route 9 on Tuesday had walked two blocks after getting out of her home, Berkeley Township police said.

Berkeley police were called about 10 a.m. about a child walking across Route 9 dressed only in a pull-on diaper, Capt. Peter LaRocca said. When they arrived found the child with good Samaritans in the parking lot of Diesel's Subs, he said.

A witness who saw the rescue said traffic stopped in both directions on the road near Morris Boulevard while a woman picked up the child and carried her out of harm's way.

The woman then took the child into the NJ Transit bus shelter to sit and was rubbing the child's back trying to comfort her while they waited for police to arrive, the witness said.

The witness said a few other women stopped as well to see if they could offer assistance.

The child's grandmother, who had been actively looking for the toddler, arrived on the scene as police were speaking with the good Samaritans, LaRocca said.

The officers then escorted the grandmother and child back to the home, where their investigation found the child had gotten out the door while the door alarm was deactivated, LaRocca said.

Patrolman Kyle Slocum completed the investigation report and contacted the New Jersey Division of Child Protection and Permanency, LaRocca said.