A winter storm raged across California, taking an innocent child with it…
Kyle Doan of Paso Robles, California, has been missing since Monday. His mother wanted to take him to kindergarten, so she drove her Chevrolet SUV over a shallow stream on the way there. Lindsy Doan didn’t notice that heavy rain had turned the creek into a torrent. Tragic: No sign had warned of the danger!
Mother Lindsy survived the flooding, her son has disappeared. This photo is also from the Doan family
The strong current pushed the heavy car (1,950 kilos curb weight) off the road and pushed it against a large maple tree. The Chevrolet threatened to fill up, the pressure of the water masses blocked the windows and the rear door. Mother Lindsy escaped through the front door, clinging to a tree. She urged her son to climb into the front seat and follow her.
Mother and son didn’t stand a chance against the flood
“Mom, it’s okay,” said the brave little one. “Just keep calm.” Then it happened! Kyle tried to grab his mother’s hand, but the grip was too weak. “I felt his fingers slip off mine,” the distraught mother said. The current pushed Kyle away, brown water taking the non-swimmer with it.
Here it happened. No sign warned of the strong current through the runoff rainwater
She also let go of the tree to save her son, Lindsy Doan told the AP news agency. “I saw his head floating and he looked at me because he was swimming backwards.” And after a while I didn’t see Kyle anymore and didn’t know what was going on.”
A local resident heard her panicked screams and helped her out of the water. The man had seen a second body in the water, but it appeared lifeless. It is unclear whether little Kyle drowned or managed to swim to shore. Almost 200 people searched for the five-year-old on Thursday. So far without success – according to the police, only one of his blue-grey shoes has been found so far.
A rescuer searches for Kyle in the muddy water. Driftwood makes the search even more difficult
At least 18 people died in California this year from winter storms and heavy rains. Kyle is still listed as missing.