Seminole County deputy reunited with 3-year-old girl left in hot car

SEMINOLE COUNTY, Fla. — A Seminole County deputy who rescued a 3-year-old girl left in a hot car was reunited with a big hug.

The Seminole County Sheriff’s Office posted a picture on its Facebook page of Deputy Bill Dunn in a big embrace with the little girl after she made a full recovery.

Dunn told Channel 9's Jeff Levkulich during an interview Thursday that the child did not have a pulse when he first checked on her.

Dunn said he found the toddler overheated and fading in and out of consciousness. He pulled her out of the car, put her in his cruiser and took her to the hospital, investigators said.

The child, who spent nearly 12 hours in the van, has made a full recovery, officials said. Dunn called her a miracle.

"She's a fighter. She wasn't going to give up. She wanted to be here," Dunn said.

Dunn gave the little girl a teddy bear after he met her.

"The fact that I was in the right place at the right time, the medical staff at Central Florida Regional, her fighting spirit, it was all part of it. There's no one person to point out and say that's what made this happen," Dunn said.

The toddler’s mother, Casey Keller, was arrested and faces charges of child neglect with great bodily harm.

Deputies said Keller’s car was never stolen and that she went to the liquor store late Saturday night with three children, but took only two of them out of the vehicle because the 3-year-old was sleeping.

Watch below: Deputy Dunn discusses rescuing 3-year-old, "She's a fighter."

Cox Media Group