George S. Mares attempted to save Monica Marquez from burning, Tucson, Arizona, September 16, 1978. When a two-door sedan was struck from behind in traffic and fire broke out at the vehicle’s rear end, the other occupants were able to escape; but Monica, 19 months, was strapped in a baby seat in the rear-seat compartment, around which was the heaviest concentration of flames. Mares, 25, roofer, ran to the sedan, entered it, and took hold of Monica. In an effort to remove her, Mares broke one of the straps that held her. Conditions worsened as Mares, unable to free Monica, attempted to pull the baby seat from straps holding it to the sedan’s rear seat. He could not do so; and the increasing flames forced him to flee. Monica suffered fatal burns. Mares was treated for burns to his head and arms.
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