Injured Three-Year-Old Girl Found Inside Of Wrecked Vehicle At Junkyard Hours After Crash
A tow truck driver, who was maneuvering a wrecked vehicle to a junkyard, found an injured three-year-old girl inside hours after the car crash took place, according to the CBS 7 News.
On Monday afternoon, a three-vehicle crash occurred in Odessa, Texas, prompting authorities to contact a tow truck company, Unlimited Wrecker Service, to move the vehicles to a junkyard.
It was reported that when an unnamed tow truck driver arrived at the junkyard and rummaged through the wrecked Jeep Grand Cherokee, he found a child – Daniela Flores – in the backseat on the floorboard and immediately called 911.
Somehow, the Texas Department of Public Safety troopers, Ector County sheriff’s deputies, and Odessa Fire Rescue, who worked on the wreck, managed to overlook the car crash victim laying in the backseat and allowed the tow truck driver to take the wrecked vehicle with Flores still inside.
When emergency responders arrived at the junkyard, the child was unconscious but still breathing and was rushed to a hospital in Lubbock.
Tow truck driver finds toddler hours after wreck – KGO-TV https://t.co/er1w16XoWe
— Towing News Network (@TowTruckNews) November 21, 2016
The child’s family stated that she suffered “brain bleeding and is experiencing partial paralysis” and has since been released from the hospital.
Ever Ortega, 28, who was the driver of the Jeep Grand Cherokee, was arrested and charged with felony intoxication assault.
Apparently, he “rear-ended one car and sideswiped another after he failed to control his speed.”
Recent reports indicated that that Ortega – who is a friend of the child’s family – was traveling with the girl, but when the car crash occurred, he told authorities that he was the only passenger in the vehicle.
Social media users were stunned after learning a child was found in the backseat of a wrecked vehicle by a tow truck driver three hours after the crash. Some are calling the incident “sad” and “unbelievable.”
The incident hit close to home for Facebook user Felicia Mulhall, who wrote: “This happened to my little cousin back in 1998. My Aunt, seven-year-old cousin and two-year-old cousin were in a horrible wreck. The car was smashed so bad that the roof was on the floor and seats folded down. There wasn’t even a search party for him because they didn’t know he was in the car. My seven-year-old cousin didn’t make it, my Aunt had to be sedated after they told her that her daughter didn’t make it.”
“After four hours, the police got a call that there was crying and screaming coming from a smashed car in the junkyard. It took almost 30 minutes, if not more to get him out. He had a concussion a few scrapes and bruising but that was it. The seat is what got knock loose and flipped and smashed on the back of the van.”
Andrea Goodson, who is the City of Odessa spokesperson, stated: “Responding OFR personnel asked the occupants of the Jeep Grand Cherokee numerous times if there were other individuals in the vehicle. The two occupants stated there were no other passengers in the vehicle. The behavior of the individuals did not lead responding personnel to believe there were other occupants in the vehicle.”
The wrecker company, whose employee discovered the child inside the wrecked vehicle after arriving at the junkyard, released a statement after the incident, which states as follows: “We are mindful of the many requests for comments and information regarding the accident that occurred on Monday and the events following that accident. Our thoughts and prayers are first and foremost with the health and hopeful recovery of the child involved in the incident. We pray for a full and speedy recovery.”
“That being said, we are also mindful that this incident involves several open investigations. As investigations remain open, we cannot comment further on the incident. We will continue to cooperate with law enforcement as they complete their investigation. We thank you for your understanding.”
[Featured Image By Matt Cardy/Getty Images]
