Isaac Kinsey, 27, flees police with children in Florida swamp (via Lakeland Police)

Terrifying police bodycam and drone footage shows the arrest of a man and rescue of his children after he dropped the kids in a Florida swamp while fleeing police. 

Isaac Kinsey, 27, was arrested after allegedly driving drunk and crashing through a road-closure sign in what the Lakeland Police Department described as a “rollover.”

He then fled on foot, carrying his two children, aged 2 years and 10 months, when officers arrived. During the chase, he is seen on drone footage falling multiple times and dropping the children.

The swamp he traversed is known for housing alligators.

Kinsey was hit with eight misdemeanor and three felony charges, including two counts of negligent child abuse with great bodily harm.

Footage from the scene shows officers searching the swamp for Kinsley and finding the two children, who were treated for injuries at a local hospital.

WATCH:

Kinsey admitted to the police that he was intoxicated and driving with a suspended license, according to the New York Post.

“This incident could have ended with the loss of two innocent lives. The rapid deployment of LakelandPD’s drone technology, along with the persistence and teamwork of responding officers, helped locate the children in an extremely difficult environment and get them the care they needed,” the Lakeland Police said in a statement.

Lakeland Police Department wrote on Facebook:

In the early morning hours of September 9, 2026, Lakeland Police officers responded to a single-vehicle crash on Highway 33 at North Combee Road.

The vehicle had traveled through a road-closure sign and sandbags before entering a construction area and coming to rest against exposed tree roots. The extensive damage was consistent with a rollover.

When officers arrived, the driver had fled on foot. Officers noticed two child safety seats inside the vehicle and, unable to confirm whether children had been occupants, immediately began searching the surrounding area.

A LakelandPD drone was deployed to search the area, which was in total darkness. Approximately 30 minutes later, the drone operator located 27-year-old Isaac Kinsey in a wooded, swampy area south of the crash site. Kinsey was carrying two children, ages 2 years and 10 months.

As officers made their way through the difficult terrain, the drone operator maintained continuous observation. Kinsey appeared to have significant difficulty moving and fell multiple times while carrying the children, causing them to become submerged in standing water. Officers eventually reached the three, rescued the children and took Kinsey into custody.