Mysterious Call For Help Leads Rescuers To Baby Trapped In Utah River For 14 Hours

An explanation of how rescuers located a baby trapped in a submerged car in a Utah River may not be immediately forthcoming. However, the outcome saved the life of 18-month-old toddler Lily Groesbeck. The four Spanish Fork police officers are certain that they heard a voice desperately calling for help. Officer Jared Warner told the Desert News about the eerie experience.

“We’ve gotten together and just talkin’ about it, and all four of us can swear that we heard somebody inside the car saying, ‘Help’. We’re not exactly sure where that voice came from.”

Officers arrived on the scene after a fisherman spotted the vehicle that belonged to 25-year-old Lynn Jennifer Groesbeck of Springfield, Utah.

When rescuers turned over the vehicle, inside they found Lily still strapped into her car seat. The straps were said to be the only thing holding the infant out of the water when the car was submerged. Unfortunately, it was already too late for Jennifer Groesbeck, who was declared dead at the scene.

Lily Groesbeck was rushed to Primary Children’s Hospital in Salt Lake City, where she is said to be in critical but stable condition. Jill Sanderson, Jennifer Groesbeck’s sister, updated the public about her niece’s condition.

“She’s doing remarkably well considering what she went through. The doctors so far have been hopeful, they haven’t been able to give us a lot of information, the next 48 to 72 hours will be very critical in determining the outcome.”

Jennifer Groesbeck and Lily were in the devastating car crash after leaving the home of Jennifer’s parent at around 10:30 p.m. on Friday. According to what authorities told KUTV, early investigation efforts into the crash leads officers to believe “the driver’s side tire went up the cement barrier on the south end of the bridge”, which lead to the vehicle being launched “into the freezing water.”

A local who lives near the bridge admitted to hearing a splash at around the time of the accident but didn’t connect it to anything dangerous. Reports indicate that the location of the crash would have made the car all but impossible to see from the road. Had it not been for the fisherman who came by nearly half a day later, the car may not have been discovered until much later.

Officer Bryan Dewitt was the first to arrive at the scene, and he saw Jennifer Groesbeck in the vehicle. It was at this time that he first heard the voice calling for help. The other responding rescuers heard it, too. Officer Tyler Beddoes said that the men worked especially hard to save her, even responding out loud to the call for help.

“It was a positive boost for every one of us because I think it pushed us to go harder a little longer. I don’t think that any one of us had intended on flipping a car over that day. We know there was some other help there, getting us where we needed to be.”

It was only after flipping over the car that they realized that Groesbeck was dead. And it was also then that they saw Lily. Even now, none of the men can explain it, even though all agree that they heard someone calling out for help.

What do you think is the explanation for “the voice” that officers say led to the discovery and rescue of Lily Groesbeck?

[Image Credit: Facebook/Fox13]