Angel Babcock: Baby Who Survived Tornado on Life Support
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Comstock/Thinkstock(LOUISVILLE, Ky.) — A toddler is on life support after being found in a field outside of a flattened home in New Pekin, Ind., among the bodies of her family who were killed by a powerful tornado.
Twenty-month-old Angel Babcock was taken to Kosair Children’s Hospital in Louisville, Ky., Saturday where she is in critical condition.
Washington County Sheriff Claude Combs told ABC News that the girl was discovered near the bodies of her 20-year-old mother Moriah Brough and two younger siblings, Jaydon and Kendall, ages 2 years and 2 months old. The body of her 21-year-old father, Joseph Babcock, was also recovered from the field following Friday’s twisters.
“I don’t even want to believe it,” Joseph Babcock’s best friend Justin Henley told ABC News affiliate WXYZ. “[Babcock] loved everybody. He never talked bad (sic) about anybody. He’s just a good person and he loved his kids a lot.”
Kendall “was found in her car seat upside down,” while Jayden “was found under the rubble,” Sherry Young, Henley’s mother told WXYZ. “Joseph was found on the opposite side of the road from his house. Moriah was found underneath a tree. Angel was found out in the middle of the field all alone.”
“Angel is on life support in the Children’s hospital in Louisville, Kentucky. They’re not sure if she is going to be able to make it or not,” said Young.
The death toll in western Kentucky has risen to 20 and a state of emergency is in effect after dozens of tornados ravaged the area Friday, leaving many cities looking like warzones.
The tornados hit 19 counties and left at least 300 people injured in Kentucky.
Gilber Acciardo with the Laurel County Sheriff’s Department in Kentucky said many of the injuries are serious.
“Lost legs, amputations for sure, a lot of serious broken bones, a lot of severe injuries, head injuries,” Acciardo said.
The town of West Liberty, Ky., was completely flattened by the twister. Dozens were reported missing overnight and at least two people were killed.
Hundreds are now sleeping on the floor of the city’s elementary school, which has been turned into a Red Cross shelter. With only ravaged homes to return to, these people could be sleeping at the school for weeks.
Officials are going door to door in many communities, looking for survivors.
Copyright 2012 ABC News Radio