Dramatic video released by police shows the moment a one and a half year old child falls from a moving car in West Dundee.
A car following behind the vehicle quickly stops and the teens inside spring into action.
One gets out to help the child while another calls 911.
"A child like, my estimate is two to three years old, literally just launched out the drivers side door," the caller tells the dispatcher.
"While the car was going?" the dispatcher asks.
"Yes, turning a corner," the caller responds. "We were sitting on the other side of the intersection and we saw it."
It happened at a busy intersection on the evening of Oct. 30.
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Police say the child was unsecured in an overcrowded vehicle driven by his mother.
"The child somehow hit door latch and door opened on corner and child fell out," Police Sgt. Daniel Haines said.
Video shows multiple people returning to the scene to grab the injured child.
The teens followed the car to a nearby grocery store--where police responded.
On Monday, Jonathan Padilla, Matthew Gillespie and Anthony Arroyo were honored with West Dundee's Lamplighter Award.
Police say they likely saved the child's life.
"The thing that stood out to me was it's almost like they received training in how to deal with situation," Haines said. "They really saved what could be unthinkable tragedy from happening."
The child's mother is facing numerous charges including underage drinking and driving and endangering the welfare of a child.
