Posted on 10/11/2004 12:00:33 PM PDT by Bad Sheep
REDMOND, Washington (AP) -- A teenager was found alive in her wrecked car after being missing for eight days.
Laura Hatch, 17, last seen at a party October 2, was found Sunday in her 1996 Toyota Camry about 150 feet below a road in this suburb east of Seattle, King County sheriff's deputies said.
Hatch was listed in serious condition at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle, where she was being treated for dehydration, a possible blood clot, broken ribs, a broken leg and facial injuries, said her sister, Amy Hatch.
"We were afraid that we weren't going to find her, we weren't going to get her back," the sister told KING television in Seattle. "This is the best thing that could happen because there were a million awful scenarios."
Hatch evidently went eight days without food or water, sheriff's Sgt. John Urquhart said, adding that there had been no indication of foul play.
(Excerpt) Read more at cnn.com ...
Not necessarily . . . but your kdneys may never recover.
Okay, wow...here's the rest of the article...
There was no police search," he added. "We felt she was most likely a runaway."
Sha Nohr, whose daughter is a friend of Hatch, found the teen Sunday in a wooded area, where 200 volunteers had searched unsuccessfully the day before.
She said she had dreamed about a wooded area and went out to look Sunday with her daughter.
Along the way, Nohr said, she prayed: "I just thought, 'Let her speak out to us."' She barely managed to discern the wrecked car in some trees after climbing over a concrete barrier and down an embankment.
"I told her that people were looking for her and they loved her," Nohr recalled, "and she said, 'I think I might be late for curfew.' "
Nohr called to her daughter, who flagged down a passing motorist.
More than 100 people cheered and sang at a church prayer service Sunday night that initially had been planned as a vigil.
"We had already given her up and let her be dead in our hearts," the girl's mother, Jean Hatch, told KOMO-TV.
Now, people will add this case to the ever-growing list and say we should have mandatory automatic crash reporting, tracking devices, etc.
Good technology? Definitely. Those who want On-Star can buy it.
Mandatory? No thanks.
Sure seems like there has been an increase in the 'car goes off the road and no one finds them for days' stories.
Link to story about this: http://cms.firehouse.com/content/article/article.jsp?sectionId=17&id=35730
Here's some interesting depth to this story:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1241572/posts
Washington Teen Is Found Alive After Eight Days
Captain Rob Torrey, Redmond Fire Department
Associated Press
REDMOND, Washington (AP) -- A teenager was found alive in her wrecked car after being missing for eight days.
Laura Hatch, 17, last seen at a party Oct. 2, was found Sunday in her 1996 Toyota Camry about 150 feet (50 meters) below a road in this suburb east of Seattle, King County sheriff's deputies said.
Hatch was in a serious condition at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle. She was being treated for dehydration, a possible blood clot, broken ribs, a broken leg and facial injuries, hospital spokeswoman Susan Gregg-Hanson said Monday.
``We were afraid that we weren't going to find her, we weren't going to get her back,'' Hatch's sister Amy told KING television in Seattle. ``This is the best thing that could happen because there were a million awful scenarios.''
Hatch evidently went eight days without food or water, sheriff's Sergeant John Urquhart said, adding that there had been no indication of foul play.
``There was no police search,'' he added. ``We felt she was most likely a runaway.'' Authorities did release a statewide bulletin and sent advisories to all local police agencies.
Sha Nohr, whose daughter is a friend of Hatch, found the teen Sunday in a wooded area where 200 volunteers had searched unsuccessfully the day before.
She said she had dreamed about a wooded area and went out to look Sunday with her daughter.
Along the way, Nohr said, she prayed: ``I just thought, 'Let her speak out to us.''' She barely managed to discern the wrecked car in some trees after climbing over a concrete barrier and down an embankment.
``I told her that people were looking for her and they loved her,'' Nohr recalled, ``and she said, 'I think I might be late for curfew.'''
Nohr called to her daughter, who flagged down a passing motorist.
More than 100 people cheered and sang at a church prayer service Sunday night that initially had been planned as a vigil.
``We had already given her up and let her be dead in our hearts,'' the girl's mother, Jean Hatch, told KOMO-TV.
Thanx. Amazing.
This is Washington State where it starts raining in Septemeber and it doesn't stop raining until July.
She looks like a young Mary Tyler Moore.
WOW! Can you imagine being the parents. "My child was dead, and is alive again." What what a reason to rejoice. I hope they throw a big party like the father of the prodigal son did.
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