Sean Cate

Sean Cate

July 24, 2024

‘Miracle Baby’ Found Crawling Near a Highway After Being Abandoned for Two Days

In a horrifying but remarkable turn of events, a 1-year-old baby boy was found crawling in a ditch off Interstate 10 in Louisiana by a truck driver. This astonishing discovery came a day after the child’s 4-year-old brother was found dead near the same highway, leading investigators to suspect a case of abandonment.1

The Heartbreaking Context

hands placed on jail cell door
Image for illustrative purposes only. Credit: Pixabay

Authorities believe the children were abandoned around the time tropical storm conditions hit the area. The boys’ mother, Aaliyah Jack, 25, has been arrested in Mississippi and faces charges including murder. Sheriff Stitch Guillory of Calcasieu Parish expressed his amazement at the child’s survival, calling the 1-year-old their “miracle baby.”

Read More: ‘She was abandoned with nothing, not even a name. ‘There’s a 10-day old baby girl,’ he told us. ‘She has a disease.’: Adoptive mom now family of 5, ‘We’re the lucky ones who get to love them’

Timeline of the Incident

The Calcasieu River Bridge is shown in Lake Charles, Louisiana on July 14, 2021.
Credit: Getty

The investigation began when the 4-year-old’s body was found floating behind a rest stop off I-10 on Monday. This coincided with Hurricane Beryl making landfall in Texas, affecting Louisiana with rain and strong winds. The next day, the 1-year-old was discovered alive, approximately 9 miles from where his brother was found.

Heroic Act of the Truck Driver

sign at highway interstate downtown metro airport to 110 north and direction New Orleans to highway 10 and 12 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Image Credit: Shutterstock

Truck driver Reginald Walton spotted the child while driving on I-10. Initially mistaking the child for a doll, Walton quickly realized it was a baby and stopped his truck. “As I approached him, he smiled at me, then stood up and started crying,” Walton recounted. Walton’s timely intervention undoubtedly saved the child’s life.

Read More: Mom’s ‘nagging’ text about baby’s car seat saved his life in car wreck

Arrest and Charges

Aaliyah Jack, 25, of Lake Charles, has been arrested in Mississippi and faces murder and other charges.
Credit: CNN Newsource

Aaliyah Jack was arrested in Meridian, Mississippi after police discovered she was without her 1-year-old son. She was initially held on suspicion of failing to report a missing child. On Thursday, charges were upgraded to second-degree murder, cruelty to a juvenile, and two counts of failure to report a missing child.

The Grandmother’s Agony

Unhappy old Caucasian woman sit at table at home cry feeling depressed sad suffer from life or health problems. Upset lonely mature female distressed with loneliness solitude, mourn yearn at home.
Image for illustrative purposes only. Image Credit: Shutterstock

Conswella Jack, the children’s grandmother, revealed she had last seen her baby grandsons at her mother’s funeral on Saturday. She and her daughter had an agreement regarding the children’s care, but tragedy struck soon after. “I just want my grandbaby back,” Conswella Jack said, reflecting the anguish and confusion surrounding the events.

Conswella Jack spoke about her 4-year-old grandson, describing him as “an awesome kid.” She expressed her sorrow and confusion, having buried her mother on Saturday and now dealing with the loss of her grandson. She hopes to reunite with her surviving grandson soon.

The Mother’s Arrest

Calcasieu Parish Sheriff Gary 'Stitch' Guillory said a one-year-old survived two days of stormy weather before a truck driver spotted him crawling along a roadside/
Credit: KPLC | CTV News

Jack was found at a train station in Mississippi, apparently trying to leave town. Authorities are still piecing together the events leading to the boys’ abandonment and the 4-year-old’s death.2 The investigation continues as they await the autopsy results to determine the cause of the elder child’s death.

The Community’s Response

group of people making up a community
Image for illustrative purposes only. Credit: Pixabay

Sheriff Guillory praised the truck driver and expressed gratitude for the community’s support. “We’re so thankful for this trucker that seen that baby this morning and immediately pulled over the side of the road and contacted 911,” he said.3

Conclusion

tiny hand holding an adult finger
Image for illustrative purposes only. Credit: Pixabay

The survival of the 1-year-old baby amid such tragic circumstances is nothing short of a miracle. As the investigation unfolds, the community remains hopeful for justice and healing for the family involved. This story highlights the critical importance of vigilance and timely intervention, which can make all the difference in moments of crisis.

Read More: Parents Hear Deceased Son’s Heart Beat in the Toddler Who’s Life He Saved Through Organ Donation

Sources

  1. ‘Miracle baby’ found crawling by Louisiana highway after 4-year-old brother found dead, mom arrested.” ABC7. Jamiel Lynch, Colin Jeffery, Jason Hanna and Sharif Paget. July 12, 2024.
  2. Mother of the ‘miracle baby’ found crawling by a highway faces a murder charge in older son’s death.” CTV News
  3. Washington Post