A man, 23, saved a baby’s life moments after it was abandoned on a dangerous highway by a man who assaulted the mother.
Luke Dufrene, 23, saved an infant’s life. One evening, on his way to work, the young man witnessed a harrowing scene. A man was getting out of his car and deserting a helpless baby on the side of a dangerous highway in Louisiana. Luke didn’t hesitate even a second before turning his vehicle around and saving the baby from the dangers of the streets.
As Newsner reports, the man who abandoned the child was identified as Dillon Terrebonne, 27. Minutes before ditching the baby, the man had reportedly assaulted the mother. The incident occurred on February 25, 2021.
The Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office revealed that Terrebonne and the woman had a heated argument in his SUV while driving down US Highway 90 in Raceland. At one point, during a fit of rage, the man stopped the car, jumped outside, walked to the passenger seat, and “began striking the woman in the head and strangled her.”
The baby’s mother managed to escape, but the child remained in the offender’s car.
Terrebonne then drove off, leaving the woman in the middle of the highway. About a mile further, he stopped the car, dropped the infant on the side of the road, and continued driving westbound.
After Luke saw the man leaving the baby and fleeing the scene, he pulled his car and tried to protect the child. As per USA TODAY, he explained:
“I looked back, and he took off, leaving the child there, so I flipped a U-turn in the grass to get to the baby. I pulled into the median and put my truck in front of the child because I knew how dangerous this highway was.
And when I was pulling up, two women were approaching. One was a witness, and the other was the mother.”
As Luke describes, the baby’s mother was “out of breath from running.” He added:
“I stayed with them while the lady called 911 and gave the description of the vehicle. I stayed the latest I could to make sure everything was under control.”
After escaping from her assaulter’s car, the mother started chasing after him in a bid to save her child.
Recalling the traumatizing incident, the woman shared:
“I was running down the highway as fast as I could, but thank God witnesses seen and got to him before I could. It took all day to locate [Terrebonne]. He went back to his hometown in Abbeville and was caught and arrested there. The man that seen what happened pulled off on the side the road right away and got to my baby. Then I got to my baby a couple seconds after. [sic]”
Louisiana man helps rescue baby stranded on the side of a highway. https://t.co/8JU94TVqpW #childendangerment #domesticviolence #goodsamaritan
— KTVE – KARD (@MyArkLaMiss) March 3, 2021
According to Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office, Terrebonne was charged with domestic abuse battery involving strangulation, child endangerment, and unauthorized use of a motor vehicle. Since the investigation on the case is still ongoing, the offender could face additional charges.
The child is now safe with its mother. Commenting on the distressing situation, Luke said:
“I never been in them shoes before, but I just knew I had to act fast for that child, [sic]. And I can’t help but appreciate the kind words everyone is giving me, but I just feel like I did what any good human would do.”
