Volunteer Finds Missing Baby in Ditch
By: Sophie Nielsen-Kolding WMBD/WYZZ TV
Updated: September 28, 2012
STARK COUNTY- People from all over Stark County volunteered to help search for the three-week-old baby, who went missing Thursday morning.
Toulon residents Russel Van Dran and his wife Mary-Jo found her. Russel Van Dran said he and his wife were out feeding their mules when they saw other search volunteers. When the couple asked how they could help, they were told to go to the courthouse.
"So we went to the courthouse and we talked to them and they basically said to go out and look around the county roads and ditches and culverts and stuff," Van Dran said.
He and his wife got in their truck and decided to help out.
"And we pulled up to this culvert and before I could shut the truck off we heard her cry," Van Dran said.
Van Dran said he and his wife followed the sound of the cries and found the baby in a ditch near a culvert. He said she was crying so loudly they were able to hear it over the diesel truck engine.
"So she was wanting to live. She was crying for help," Van Dran said.
Van Dran said the baby was literally hanging on to the weeds for dear life, he had to rip the plants out of the ground.
"She had them wrapped around her hands so hard I couldn't get her hands out of the weeds so I had to take the grass and take it with us when we loaded her up."
The couple wrapped the baby in a sweatshirt and an ambulance rushed her to the Children's Hospital of Illinois in Peoria. Van Dran said there are more people to thank than just he and his wife.
"There was a lot of people looking for that little girl and it's the benefit of a small town. Everybody comes together and helps out," Van Dran said.
On Friday the baby's great aunt read a statement on behalf of the whole family where she thanked everyone who helped to find Mia Graci Thompson.
Toulon residents Russel Van Dran and his wife Mary-Jo found her. Russel Van Dran said he and his wife were out feeding their mules when they saw other search volunteers. When the couple asked how they could help, they were told to go to the courthouse.
"So we went to the courthouse and we talked to them and they basically said to go out and look around the county roads and ditches and culverts and stuff," Van Dran said.
He and his wife got in their truck and decided to help out.
"And we pulled up to this culvert and before I could shut the truck off we heard her cry," Van Dran said.
Van Dran said he and his wife followed the sound of the cries and found the baby in a ditch near a culvert. He said she was crying so loudly they were able to hear it over the diesel truck engine.
"So she was wanting to live. She was crying for help," Van Dran said.
Van Dran said the baby was literally hanging on to the weeds for dear life, he had to rip the plants out of the ground.
"She had them wrapped around her hands so hard I couldn't get her hands out of the weeds so I had to take the grass and take it with us when we loaded her up."
The couple wrapped the baby in a sweatshirt and an ambulance rushed her to the Children's Hospital of Illinois in Peoria. Van Dran said there are more people to thank than just he and his wife.
"There was a lot of people looking for that little girl and it's the benefit of a small town. Everybody comes together and helps out," Van Dran said.
On Friday the baby's great aunt read a statement on behalf of the whole family where she thanked everyone who helped to find Mia Graci Thompson.
