Man Catches Baby, Helps Mother Escape Lakewood Fire: Police

LAKEWOOD, NJ — A Lakewood man has been hailed a hero after he caught an infant and then broke the fall of the baby's mother when she jumped from a burning townhouse.

Rey Carpinteyro, 33, ran to the rescue when he heard the woman shouting for help during the fire at the Woodlake Manor townhouse on Jan. 5, Lakewood Detective Lt. Gregory Staffordsmith said.

Carpinteyro was getting out of his car when he heard the woman's screams, Staffordsmith said, and ran over and caught the baby as the mother tossed her infant son to him from the second-story window.

Staffordsmith said Carpinteyro ran and handed the baby to a neighbor then ran back to help the 28-year-old woman, who then jumped from the window as well, Staffordsmith said. Her fall was broken by Carpinteyro bud she suffered multiple cuts to her legs, he said.

The woman and her baby were treated at a local hospital, Staffordsmith said.

The American Red Cross responded to assist at least one other family whose home was affected by the fire, he said.

The cause of the fire is under investigation by the Lakewood Police Department, Ocean County Prosecutors Office, Ocean County Fire Marshal’s Office, along with the assistance of the Ocean County Sheriff’s Department CSI Unit.

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