A toddler wandered nearly a foot toward death at a volcano park in Hawaii when his mother caught hold of him in time to save his life, according to the National Park Service.

A toddler could have plummeted to his death on Christmas Day at Hawaii's Kilauea volcano if not for his mother's quick reaction, officials said.

One of the world’s most active volcanoes erupted on Monday after a three-month hiatus, spewing bright orange lava as high as 300 feet, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS).