[Warning: Potentially Triggering Content]
A 1-year-old boy is being hailed as a “miracle baby” by cops in Louisiana after surviving for two days totally alone in a ditch on the side of the highway. Sadly, his 4-year-old brother wasn’t so lucky. And now, cops have arrested the mother — with a much deeper investigation ongoing.
This tragedy started on Monday when the 4-year-old boy was found dead in water near the Vinton Welcome Center along Interstate 10 in Vinton, Louisiana. Police identified the boy as Legend Jack and determined he had last been seen two days earlier, on Saturday, with his 1-year-old brother Kingtrail Jack and their mother, 25-year-old Aaliyah Jack (pictured above, mugshot) of Lake Charles, Louisiana. However, neither of them were present when authorities discovered the 4-year-old’s body, which obviously alarmed cops.
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Police began searching for Jack and the infant, but to no avail. Then, at about 9:00 a.m. on Tuesday morning, deputies of the Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office responded to a call from a trucker who saw a baby in a ditch on the eastbound side of Interstate 10 just outside Vinton. Cops quickly determined the baby was the same one they’d been looking for after his brother’s death. Amazingly, even after being left alone in that ditch on the side of the highway, the boy was ALIVE!!!
In a press conference held later on Tuesday, Calcasieu Parish Sheriff Gary “Stitch” Guillory said that based on the timeline of events, cops believe the boy was alone in the ditch for roughly two days. Per the Associated Press, the sheriff said:
“We looked at this 1-year-old as our miracle baby because he was still alive. Unbelievable. … This kid spent two days out in the weather on the side of the highway. Thank God that trucker seen him. … When you look at the video, here he was, crawling toward the highway.”
This is even more stunning, per the Advocate, because Hurricane Beryl just made landfall in neighboring Texas very early on Monday, bringing with it winds, rain, and flooding. So, that makes it even more incredible that Kingtrail survived!!
In a press release distributed to local media outlets, the law enforcement official added:
“This is a tragic incident our detectives are currently investigating. Fortunately, we were able to locate the 1-year-old, who was taken to a local hospital to be checked out. He is now safe and in the care of authorities. We understand the community’s concern and are committed to ensuring justice for the children involved.”
According to Sheriff Guillory, Kingtrail had multiple bug bites from having been left in the ditch, but other than that, he seemed mostly healthy. Truly amazing! The infant was rushed to a hospital in Vinton, and police later confirmed that he was listed in stable condition.
Thank goodness…
As for Aaliyah, Sheriff Guillory announced she was eventually “located in Mississippi, without the 1-year-old, by the Meridian Police Department and taken into custody.” Vinton is in the far southwestern corner of Louisiana, and Meridian is in east-central Mississippi near the Alabama border — a distance of more than 400 miles. Wow.
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Aaliyah has since been charged with failure to report a missing child. At her first court appearance on the charge, a judge in Meridian ordered her held on a $300,000 bond. As for whether she’ll face further consequences — specifically regarding any potential charges in the death of the 4-year-old — the Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office back in Louisiana stated in their release that “more charges are possible.” It all hinges on what the coroner is able to determine regarding the boy’s cause of death. The sheriff’s office stated:
“CPSO detectives are actively working to gather all the information and details surrounding this case and the death of the 4-year-old. We will dedicate all necessary resources to ensure a thorough investigation. Our hearts go out to the family members of these two children. … Detectives are continuing the investigation, and more charges are possible. The coroner will determine cause of death.”
Such a horrific and heartbreaking case. We are amazed that the 1-year-old survived, and we sincerely hope that he can recover fully and go on to lead a happy, healthy life.
If you have sincere cause to suspect child abuse, call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child or 1-800-422-4453, or go to www.childhelp.org.
[Image via Meridian Police Department]
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