25th of April 2025 MEDIA UPDATE; To see the heartwarming rescue and reunion moment between the deputy and the family in action with sound simply click on the photo. For those who prefer a version of the video without captions click HERE. To listen to Deputy Andrew Alencar from BSO Pompano Beach speak about the experience click. For the familys perspective on this event, in their own words click HERE.. If you’d like to view the unedited footage of the rescue itself click HERE. On a Thursday evening in March around 6 p.m. a grandma and her two year old granddaughter were leaving a nearby Walmart when their car unexpectedly veered into a canal.It was a moment as they felt their car sinking rapidly and saw water levels rising around them.Then relief came in the form of a Broward Sheriff’s Office deputy who arrived to rescue them.That day Broward County Regional Communications received an urgent call about a vehicle plungng into a canal, in the parking lot of Walmart situated at 3001 N.State Road 7 in Lauderdale Lakes. BSO Pompano Beach District Deputy Andrew Alencar had recently completed a task at the site when he received a notification about the emergency and promptly acted upon it by being the responder on site.”Once I hurried to the scene and noticed the vehicle sinking with a woman and baby in the seat ” Deputy Alencar recounted his quick actions, under pressure as he approached to assist in the critical situation before time ran out. Audrey Villieres shifted to the seat with her two year old granddaughter Ameika Brown as the vehicle started sinking rapidly in the waterway.”Their expressions showed astonishment ” Deputy Alencar recalled.”The car was descending swiftly and I had to keep my focus on the task at hand ” he added.Every moment counted; hence without delay he plunged into the canal. Swam towards them. “When I got to the car and saw the situation with the child inside and unable to reach the ground ” Deputy Alencar recounted how he resorted to using his window breaker tool to shatter the window and successfully extract the child from danger.”As I cradled the infant in my arms amidst the water depth that prevented me from standing firmly ” he further explained how he raised the baby above water level before maneuvering back to safety by taking careful steps underwater, towards shore.”After ensuring the child reached safety on land soundly settled down there Deputy Alencar promptly swam back to rescue the grandmother trapped in the car. “I went back to unlock the door and bring her out safely before swimming her to shore ” shared Deputy Alencar. The Broward Sheriff Fire Rescue team present at that moment assisted both grandmother and granddaughter who despite being shaken by what happened were reported to be in good health. Upon investigation on it was revealed that a potential vehicle malfunction might have been at fault, for this unfortunate accident. The deputy was taken to a hospital, for treatment after swallowing canal water and sustaining minor cuts; however he couldn’t stop thinking about the babys well being. “I recall getting out of the water and heading towards my car ” Deputy Alencar recounted. “I kept asking about the baby. ‘Hows the baby doing?’ I was genuinely concerned.” Deputy Alencars question was answered two weeks later when he met again with the family he had rescued at the accident site. He was accompanied by his grandmother and granddaughter along, with Sheree Linton. The childs mother. And Dabria Moulton. The childs sister; a moment for everyone involved. Villieres recounted the experience of the accident saying “It was scary… I felt immensely relieved when I saw him approaching me… I held the baby in my arms as he shattered the glass. I handed him the baby… Someone took the baby. He returned.””I felt a wave of relief seeing him there at the hospital unexpectedly ” Villieres expressed with gratitude and concern, for his well being after saving her from a water related incident.”Its a blessing to see him safe ” she added emotionally. Linton also shared a moment meeting the deputy who heroically rescued both her mother and young daughter from danger. She still recalls the instant she found out they were both, at risk of harm.” I felt a surge of panic and struggled to catch my breath; I had to pull over for a while ” Linton recounted.She managed to compose herself and drove to Walmart.” Luckily I found both my mother and daughter unharmed and secure.””I felt relieved when I saw him at Walmart that day because if he hadn’t been there working at that moment… I can’t even imagine what might have happened ” she recounted emotionally as she reflected on the incident that occurred days ago which still leaves the family shaken to the core with lingering thoughts of what could have transpired.”Its surreal to think about it now; each morning I wake up questioning if its all just a bad dream.”They truly managed to survive the accident by plunging into the water—a scene often portrayed in television dramas where individuals find themselves trapped as their vehicle sinks beneath the surface ” shared Moulton as she recounted her sisters experience with concern about the difficulty of escaping from submerged cars due, to doors.” About a fortnight after the ordeal occurred and changed their lives forever— on April 3—the family took the opportunity to express their gratitude in person to the deputy who had acted heroically and selflessly. The family expressed their appreciation for the deputys actions even though he was off duty, at the time he assisted them. Deputy Alencar explained that his decision was straightforward; “When I serve the community as a deputy sheriff before anything I am a father; therefore my actions are always motivated by how they would benefit my family.” Linton expressed her familys appreciation for Deputy Alencar; “We are truly grateful, for him. He was there when we needed help the most.”
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