Pekin, Indiana Child Survives Storm, Taken To Kosair Children's Hospital

(Adds family details, toddler's condition)

By Cary Stemle

LOUISVILLE, Kentucky, March 3 (Reuters) - A toddler girl's entire family was killed by tornadoes in the hours before she was rescued alone from a field miles from her home in ravaged southeast Indiana, officials said on Saturday.

The 2-year-old child, who remained in critical condition in a Kentucky hospital, is with members of her extended family, but was not identified publicly.

Her two parents, a two-month-old sister and a 3-year-old brother were all killed before she was found, said Cis Gruebbel, a spokewoman for Kosair Children's Hospital in Louisville, where the child has been since Friday evening.

Indiana officials have said that four people died in Washington County, where the girl was found, but it was unclear on Saturday if they were her family.

The child was transported by helicopter to Kosair on Friday after being stabilized at a tiny rural hospital in Salem, Indiana.

Officials have declined to detail her injuries and said it was unclear who had found her, where her family was during the ordeal, how they were located and which members of the family were at the hospital.

A spokeswoman for St. Vincent Salem Hospital said the injured child arrived by ambulance around 4 p.m. on Friday, but that authorities were still unclear how she had ended up in a field 10 miles away from where her family was from near hard-hit Pekin, Indiana.

Salem didn't sustain nearly as much damage as other parts of Washington County, said Indiana State Police Sgt. Jerry Gooden. The worst of the damage was between 10 and 20 miles to the southeast, near Pekin and Henryville, an area Gooden described as "mass destruction."

Donations for the girl can be made through www.helpkosairchildrenshospital.com, or call the hospital at 502-629-8060. (Reporting by Cary Stemle in Louisville and Karen Brooks in Austin, Texas; Writing By Karen Brooks; Editing by Peter Bohan)

Comments

[Mother Teresa Ann]

08:05 PM on 03/04/2012

There were several MORONS this Morning, posting that IF there were a GOD, then this child would have DIED, because God was trying to kill her anyway, tossing her around a field .. and that GOD should have killed ALL of the family, rather than keep a child alive without her parents. Well, I hope you are all happy now. YOU got your wish. Now a family can grieve that ALL of these family members have died .. I hope those of you that posted that garbage are happy.

[kmnsrkis24]

07:13 PM on 03/04/2012

Yeah, there's a God.

[MizzJan]

07:49 PM on 03/04/2012

Yup. Her family was wiped off the face of the earth. Her big brother and 2-mo-old sister never had a shot at life. She suffered tremendous pain and then DIED anyhow. And people are yelping at me because I'm not buying the "loving" God premise. Puh-lease.

[alyssaawhitney1]

08:35 PM on 03/04/2012

so sad... but maybe if there is a heaven it is better this way... they are together! Condolences to the extended family.

[Susan Keeling Blakeman]

07:03 PM on 03/04/2012

Angel passed away today. She is with her mommy, daddy and two brothers. Our hearts ache for her and the family.

[brokenpencilprod]

07:31 PM on 03/04/2012

How terribly sad that this child, a symbol of hope, has passed away. Prayers to the family.

[jessicadevyn]

06:58 PM on 03/04/2012

I can't imagine the grief that this family must be going through. To lose their children and grandchildren is so unimaginable.

[linbee50]

06:23 PM on 03/04/2012

This story cannot not help but to bring a tear to every eye. Mother Nature gives and she also takes away. The extended family must be sufffering...God be with them.

[The Cupcake Kid]

06:15 PM on 03/04/2012

My heart aches for this family along with all of the other victims of these horrific storms. I simply cannot imagine their grief but am so sorry for it.

[miniegranie]

06:05 PM on 03/04/2012

Rest in Peace little Angel.

[gin11153]

06:04 PM on 03/04/2012

Just heard on the radio that she died-so sad-I was hoping she'd survive.

[WWARD4911]

05:50 PM on 03/04/2012

THIS IS OLD NEWS !!!!!! SADLY BY INFO FROM LOUISVILLE COURIER-JOURNAL SHE DIED TODAY 03/04/12 AT 4:10 PM

[Susan Keeling Blakeman]

07:05 PM on 03/04/2012

Well duh. The newspaper came out this morning. They just let the media know later this evening. There is huge devastation. The media is trying to keep up. Sorry you didn't get to hear it first. Have a heart. There are our friends and neighbors.

[brokenpencilprod]

07:34 PM on 03/04/2012

WWARD, yes, we know that this is "old news," but still very sad news, that should be viewed with compassion. The article was written before the child died. It would have been so much better had you but said that you are sorry to hear the child has passed away.

[Debbie Disney]

05:44 PM on 03/04/2012

The little girl passed away this afternoon.

[Acebass]

05:29 PM on 03/04/2012

The child passed away today
http://www.courier-journal.com/article/20120304/NEWS02/303040059/Baby-swept-away-by-tornado-dies-Sunday-after-losing-parents-2-siblings?odyssey=nav|head

So tragic the whole family wiped out....

[KyMom032]

05:28 PM on 03/04/2012

Wave 3 has reported that the little girl died so sad

[Debbie Best]

05:26 PM on 03/04/2012

It is with profound sadness that I pass along this news. The little girl found in the field, Angel Babcock, was removed from life support this afternoon and passed away. She will be reunited with her baby sister, her brother, mother and father in Heaven. May God welcome them into his loving arms. We in Indiana want to thank everyone for their continued thoughts and prayers...

[stephendelong1]

03:43 PM on 03/04/2012

You have to love this, here possibly is a real miracle and Obama can't say anything. Usually he would have pandered but since his crew is at war with GOD, he can't.

[eulogy8894]

05:06 PM on 03/04/2012

Dude, are you still fighting a culture war that your side lost two decades ago?

[stephendelong1]

05:48 PM on 03/04/2012

We are all the losers in this cultural fight to end humanity.

[kansas ham on wry]

05:22 PM on 03/04/2012

You really should be ashamed of yourself. Folks like you who put a political spin on everything give me indigestion.

[stephendelong1]

03:40 PM on 03/04/2012

God Speed, Dear.