Child falls from moving vehicle in Ephrata

EPHRATA - A 5-year-old girl suffered minor injuries when she fell from a moving vehicle onto Basin Street Southwest in Ephrata.

Her mother, a 23-year-old Ephrata woman, was driving a 1995 Chevy Blazer near Safeway about 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, according to Ephrata police. The girl was not buckled into a booster seat situated in the rear right seat of the vehicle, and the child lock was not engaged on the rear passenger door, police stated.

The mother "was not paying attention" when the girl fell out and there were no other passengers in the vehicle at the time, according to the police report.

Police and Ephrata Fire Department personnel responded and the child was reportedly treated and released for abrasions.

The girl's mother was cited for reckless endangerment, failure to use a child restraint and having no valid insurance.