‘My fist will probably work’: Florida dad smashes truck window to rescue trapped children

A Father’s Day trip to Walmart turned into a frightening ordeal for a Florida family when two young children became trapped inside a locked truck in the Florida heat.

Dominique Woods said the incident happened Sunday after his family left church and stopped at a Walmart in Port St. Lucie to pick up food for a Father’s Day cookout.

As the family was getting out of the truck, Woods said his 4-year-old son accidentally pressed the lock button while the keys were still inside.

Dominique Woods says he knew he had to act fast when his two young children became trapped inside the family’s truck.

“My son climbed to the front of the truck to get out, and I didn’t realize I didn’t have my keys on me until he got out of the truck and closed the door. But as he was coming out, his hands were on the door, and he hit the lock button unknowingly,” Woods told WPBF.

Woods said he quickly figured out what had happened when he reached to open the back door for his two youngest children, but it was locked.

His 3-year-old and 1-year-old were trapped inside the vehicle as the temperature outside sat at about 94 degrees.

“Just the two minutes in the truck, they were sweating really badly,” he said.

He tried to stay calm as he watched his two young children become more distressed.

“She was freaking out, the baby was crying, and I know she just wanted us to come in there and get her,” Woods said.

Woods was taken to the hospital with a deep cut to his arm, but is recovering.

With no tools nearby and concern about the rising temperature inside the truck, Woods said he made a split-second decision.

“I was like, you know what, my fist will probably work, and I just went to town on the window,” he said.

After the third punch, Woods said the glass shattered. He reached inside, unlocked the door, and got both children out safely.

However, the rescue came at a cost. The broken glass left Woods with a deep cut on his arm, requiring a trip to the emergency room for treatment.

“In that particular time, you’re not worried about the cuts. You’re not worried about, really, the outcome of yourself, but the outcome of the children,” Woods said.

He said if it meant protecting his children, he would do it all over again.

“I think God was over me and making sure I had the power to get through this window to get my kids,” he told WPBF 25 News.

According to child safety advocates, Florida ranks second among the states with the highest number of pediatric vehicular heatstroke deaths.

Experts warn that a child’s body temperature can rise three to five times faster than an adult’s, making even a short amount of time inside a hot vehicle dangerous.

Looking back, Woods said he knows he could have waited for first responders to arrive, but he wasn’t willing to risk it.

“After everything, my kids are OK, I’m OK, and that’s all that really matters,” he said.

Woods hopes sharing his experience will remind parents to double-check they have their keys before closing vehicle doors and to act quickly if a child becomes trapped inside a hot car.

After a trip to the emergency room, he said his arm is healing, and his family will never forget the Father’s Day ordeal.

He also noted the kind comments he’s received on social media have warmed his heart, and he’s thankful for a supportive community.

Anyone who would like to help the family cover the expenses from the ambulance ride, emergency medical care, and the cost of replacing the shattered truck window can click here.