9-year-old calls 911, says mom passed out while driving on highway, Louisiana cops say

A 9-year-old girl took charge after her mother suffered a medical emergency while driving along Interstate 10 in southern Louisiana, investigators say.

It happened around 10:45 a.m. on Friday, Jan. 17, in St. John the Baptist Parish and the girl’s mother pulled to the side of the road before passing out, the sheriff’s office said in a news release. The parish is about a 30-mile drive northwest from New Orleans.

“The girl dialed the St. John 911 Operations Center to report the emergency ... but didn’t know where they were located. The mother regained consciousness for a short period and was able to talk with dispatchers,” the sheriff’s office said.

Deputies found the vehicle and discovered the 30-year-old woman was traveling with three children, ages 9, 5 and 2, when she started having chest pains.

The woman was alert when taken to a hospital, while the three children were taken in by their grandmother. Details of the woman’s condition have not been released as of Jan. 21.

St. John the Baptist Parish Sheriff Mike Tregre lauded the girl for knowing what to do in a situation that was likely terrifying for children.

“Fortunately this young child understood how to make an emergency call and dialed 911 to get help,” he said in the release.

“This should serve as a reminder. It is important that every young child knows when and how to make a 911 call.”

This story was originally published January 21, 2025 at 5:15 AM with the headline "9-year-old calls 911, says mom passed out while driving on highway, Louisiana cops say."