Oregonians recognized for saving baby from electrocution after ice downs powerline

PORTLAND, Ore. ( ) – Two Oregonians are being recognized for their bravery after saving a baby from being electrocuted when an ice storm downed a powerline over a family's SUV.

The Carnegie Hero Fund Commission announced Monday they are awarding Majiah Washington and Ta'Ron Lee Briggs with the Carnegie Medal — honoring "outstanding acts of selfless heroism" in the United States and Canada.

The incident unfolded Jan. 17, 2024, after freezing rain coated Portland's streets.

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Tajaliayh Briggs, 21, her partner 30-year-old DeVonte Nash, and their 9-month-old son were parked outside of an apartment complex near Northeast 122nd and Siskiyou Street when a large tree branch snapped, pulling a powerline down onto their SUV and the street, the commission explained.

That's when their neighbor, 18-year-old assistant daycare teacher Majiah Washington, saw a flash through her apartment window, and ran outside to see the downed powerline and a small fire under the car, which quickly extinguished.

Briggs' parents were in a vehicle nearby, outside of an apartment complex with a sloped and ice-covered driveway.

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Nash was carrying his son away from their car. Making their way up the driveway, Nash fell feet-first down the driveway and came in contact with the line. He was unresponsive with his son on his chest.

Briggs, who was pregnant, tried to reach toward Nash as he slid, but she fell next to him and was also electrocuted.

As Washington called 911, Briggs' brother – -15-year-old Ta'Ron Lee Briggs — approached his sister to help, despite his father warning him to stay away from the line. According to the commission, he slipped and fell next to his sister before he was electrocuted.

The 911 dispatcher told Washington that others should stay away from the line, and while on the call, Washington got into a crouching position and slid down the driveway toward Nash.

She put her hands on Nash to brace herself and did not feel an electric shock and carried the baby up the driveway before first responders arrived.

Although the boy was taken to the hospital as a precaution, he and Washington were not injured. His parents and uncle died at the scene.

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"It all happened so fast," Washington said during a press conference in January, noting the time from when the wire went down to when the baby was in her hands happened within 20 minutes.

"I just thought, 'I have a nephew myself; I have little brothers, I just hope someone else would do the same thing, I would think that someone else would do the same thing,'" Washington said.

The Carnegie Hero Fund Commission awarded Washington with the Carnegie Medal and awarded Ta'Ron Lee Briggs with the award posthumously.