LUFKIN, Texas (KETK) – The family of 2-year-old Rebecca Velez in Lufkin is now demanding answers after they said she was inches away from being hit by traffic.  

“Definitely it’s an act of God that she’s alive,” said Noheia DeJesus, who is the aunt of Velez. 

It reportedly happened on Monday afternoon at the Kids Cove Learning Center on Highway 69.  

“My sister just happened to come pick up the baby when it happened and so nobody had reached out or called us,” said DeJesus.  

DeJesus said at the time of the incident, staff members at the daycare were still trying to figure out how a baby got outside and on a dangerous highway.  

“When my sister got there, all the teachers were in the office and they were trying to figure out how this happened. I guess and they didn’t really know,” she said.  

Luckily, there was a police officer behind the 18-wheeler at the time of the incident who DeJesus said made a difference in saving Rebecca’s life.  

“He saw the whole thing unfold, “ DeJesus added. “He turned his lights on when that 18-wheeler turned was trying to brake [and] had it been a different car hat was behind that 18 wheeler, maybe the 18-wheeler would have missed her but that car could have kept going.”  

Dejesus says Rebecca is doing well.  

“She’s still very innocent,” she said. “Very much a baby. So, she really didn’t understand what was going on.”  

The family said the employee who was supposed to be watching Rebecca has since been let go. KETK tried to get a comment from the daycare on Friday but they had no comment at that time.

The Texas Department of Family and Protective Services is currently investigating the incident.