A 5-year-old girl survived a tragic car accident that claimed the lives of her parents, but it took over a day for her to be found within the wreckage, according to authorities.
Casey Griffin was with her deceased parents—25-year-old Devante Griffin and 24-year-old Clarissa Tarango—for more than 30 hours after their pickup truck veered off a Colorado highway and rolled over, going unnoticed off the main road, as stated by the Colorado State Police.
Authorities discovered the crash site on Highway 160 near Bayfield around 12:30 p.m. on May 2, although they believe the accident happened around 6 a.m. the day before.
Both parents were pronounced dead at the scene, and neither was wearing a seatbelt. Their other child was not in the vehicle at the time of the crash.
Casey, who also wasn’t secured in a child seat, began to climb a hill towards first responders as they arrived.
She was taken to Mercy Hospital in Durango with minor injuries and later placed in the care of her grandfather, as reported by Tricity News.
“It’s remarkable how resilient children can be,” noted Hunter Matthews, a spokesperson for Colorado State Patrol, in a comment to CPR News. “She stayed in the vehicle—we think she felt safe near her parents.”
The State Patrol believes that the father, who was driving, was neither impaired nor speeding at the time of the crash. The event is still under investigation but isn’t viewed as a criminal matter.
Griffin and Tarango, from Farmington, New Mexico, also left behind another daughter, as indicated by a GoFundMe campaign for the family.
Responding to the incident, the Upper Pine River Fire Protection team emphasized the dual nature of the situation as both a tragedy and a miracle, encouraging parents to ensure proper installation of child seats to enhance safety.
The agency acknowledged the emotional toll on their crew and the community members who have conveyed their condolences and support to the victims’ families.
