12-Year-Old Hospitalized After Being Buried By Snowplow in a ‘Horrible Accident’
Millions of Americans awoke Thursday to a magical sight: More than a foot of snow had fallen across multiple states in the northeast, creating the perfect backdrop for sleigh riding, snowman building, and crafting giant snow forts. This was precisely what one 12-year-old girl had in mind when she headed outside her home in Knox, New York, to play in the snow. Sadly, her joy would turn to sheer terror in a matter of seconds, when a plow suddenly buried her in a snowbank.
The incident happened sometime early Thursday morning.
The unidentified child had been digging holes in the snow when a family member, who was driving a truck with a snowplow on it, inadvertently buried her in a snowbank, according to The Times-Union.
The accident wasn’t discovered after hearing the girls’ screams or calls for help. In fact, it’s still unclear just how long the child remained buried before she was found.
When the girl’s family suddenly noticed she was missing, they began frantically searching outside.
It was only after digging through the snowbank created by the plow that the 12-year-old was discovered, buried within many feet of icy snow.
By that point, the child was unresponsive and not breathing, but her family quickly called 911, hoping for a miracle.
In the end, they may have gotten that miracle.
The girl’s family members were guided over the phone by emergency dispatchers, who aided them in performing CPR. Around 8:30 a.m., paramedics and deputies arrived to help.
Unbelievably, the girl was resuscitated at the scene, though it remains unclear whether it was her family members or the emergency medical staff who successfully revived her. Either way, the 12-year-old was saved and taken to a nearby hospital for further treatment.
The story is pretty incredible, considering how differently things could have gone.
According to the National Weather Service, more than 22 inches of snow fell in Albany County last week where the girl’s home is. Although it’s unknown just how large the snow pile was that she was buried in, it’s safe to say she was likely covered by quite a bit.
Believe it or not, this was the second incident of its kind to come out of upstate New York on Thursday.
Some two hours away in Owego, Kevin Kristen, 58, had reportedly been driving through the snowstorm around midnight when his car suddenly skidded off the road and into a ditch. Instead of being able to get out of his car safely and call for help, Kristen found himself trapped in a large snowbank after a passing plow dumped several feet of snow on top of his car.
What happened in the hours that followed is likely every person’s worst nightmare.
Kresen repeatedly dialed 911 from his cell phone but kept losing the connection.
“He finally got through a few times and was geolocated, but not very well because of the spottiness of the reception,” State Police Sgt. Jason Cawley said.
As the hours ticked by, Kristen’s car became completely disabled, which meant he was unable to heat the vehicle while he waited for help.
First responders were eventually able to pinpoint the call but could only narrow it down to a 3-mile stretch of land.
Cawley searched the area extensively in his patrol car and even climbed miles of snowbanks on foot before he finally located Kresen’s Ford Fusion and helped dig out the man.
When all was said and done, Kristen had been trapped for more than 10 hours in the snow.
“If he was in there for another hour his body temperature would have gone lower, and I’m convinced he wouldn’t have made it,” Cawley said.
As for the 12-year-old in Knox, she is reportedly in stable condition.
Specific details on her condition have not been made available, but County Executive Daniel McCoy said during a press conference on the storm last week that the girl was doing well.
Albany County Sheriff Craig Apple, one of the first responders on the scene Thursday, called the entire thing “a horrible, horrible accident” — but luckily, it came with a happy ending.