Published: August 31, 2009 11:02 am      

UPDATE: MOTHER OF ‘CHRISTMAS MIRACLE’ BABY CHARGED IN CRASH

The mother of Autum Marie Norenberg, the infant who survived being trapped underwater for about 15 minutes in a Christmas Day car crash, has been charged in the accident, Suwannee County Jail records show.

Heather Norenberg, 22, of 10263 Adams Road, Wellborn, was arrested Thursday by sheriff's deputy Arthur Robinson on a Florida Highway Patrol warrant. She was charged with reckless driving with serious bodily injury.

According to FHP, Heather Norenberg was driving at least 71 miles-per-hour on 29th Road, a county graded road, on Christmas Day 2008, when she lost control of her car, which overturned in a roadside pond, trapping Autum Marie in icy cold water, according to reports. Bystanders were able to free her after about a 15-minute struggle.

Autum Marie was flown to Shands UF. She later spent several weeks in a rehabilitation center but was eventually sent home where family members reported she had made a full recovery.

FHP reports indicate that neither drugs nor alcohol was a factor in the crash.