Mom issues warning after seatbelt slashed through 6-year-old daughter's stomach

A Richmond, Virginia mother is sharing an important message about booster seats after a horrific car accident nearly claimed the life of her young daughter.

Shelly Martin is the mother of 6-year-old Samantha Swartwout, who was riding in the back seat of her father's car when it veered off the road on September 17.

The vehicle reportedly traveled approximately 200 feet off the road before slamming into a tree.

"The impact of the collision was such that the belt that was on the child opened up her abdomen area exposing her intestines," according to her GoFundMe page. "She also suffered severe head trauma."

After Samantha was rushed to the hospital, doctors miraculously "managed to get things back in place in her abdomen region."

But now, Martin is speaking out to warn others that she believes if her daughter was in a booster seat, she would not have suffered such serious injuries.

"She would not have been this hurt in a booster," Martin told CBS. "Don't think that just because your child is 7 or 8 years that they are too big... they aren't!"

The 6-year-old child's mom says she wants to spread the word about booster seat safety in order to stop anyone from experiencing suffering like her child did.

"If we can raise awareness and save another child then at least we can bring something good out of this," Martin said.