- Font Size:
- Default font size
- Larger font size
BY SHYLOH KARSHNER
skarshner@nwitimes.com | Friday, July 29, 2005 | (No comments posted.)
GARY | Timothy Mack refuses to believe his little girl is dead.
He scoured the banks of the Grand Calumet River on Thursday, 11 miles up and back each side, hoping for any sign that 2-year-old Jatima Green was OK.
"She's strong like her daddy," a tearful Timothy Mack said about Jatima, who fell into the river after being ejected from her mother's sport utility vehicle when it crashed Wednesday night on the Cline Avenue exit ramp from the eastbound Indiana Toll Road.
Authorities searched by the light of rescue trucks and helicopters until after 11 p.m. Wednesday and returned early Thursday. Divers and officials had little hope of finding the girl alive, saying Thursday they were in "recovery mode."
The Lake County Sheriff's Department, Gary Police Department and Indiana State Police Department helicopters performed aerial scans all day in search of the child's bright clothing.
They found no sign of the toddler except for a white Beanie Baby bear searchers believed came from the SUV.
More than 20 divers searched the river west and east of the EJ & E railroad tracks just down river from where witnesses saw the toddler enter the water, Gary Fire Department Battalion Chief Mark Everett said.
Officials focused on this area because the chance of her getting past the debris in the water under the tracks was minimal.
After a systematic sweep of the entire area, however, the dive effort was called off at 1:30 p.m. The overall search was suspended at about 6:30 p.m. Thursday, with a dive team scheduled to return by 7 a.m. today, Indiana State Police Sgt. Dennis Boehler said.
"There's no way she's here," Lake County Aquatics team diver Ron Kurth said of the area under focus. "Chances are she traveled down the river."
Added Kurth: "We're going to live here until we can bring closure to the family."
Mack considered jumping into the water himself.
"God pulled me away and told me to have faith," Mack said.
After the dive was called off Thursday, the Gary Fire Department and the Indiana Department of Natural Resources continued searching by boat from the site of the accident down the river to Michigan Street, Everett said.
Boehler said a cadaver search dog from Chicago will also search the area today, joined by State Police and Lake County dive teams, a State Police helicopter, DNR officials and the Gary Fire Department.
Jatima's cousin Mike Godlow, of Gary, was at the search site all day Thursday and the previous night. He expressed concern the shore hadn't been thoroughly searched.
"We've searched the area where the child went over the bridge along shoreline three times. Along the river itself, we can't get people along the edge because cattails extend several feet into the water," Boehler said.
Boehler said divers and DNR personnel in boats were used to get as close to shore as possible. The search teams used sonar and underwater cameras Thursday.
"There are so many things in there she could have gotten snagged up on, and the current is fast enough that the divers have to be secured to a line or a boat to keep from drifting," Boehler said.
Mack said two 11-year-old children and two adults were in the car, including Jatima's mother, Jacqueline Green, who was driving.
State Police District Lt. Dallard Tackett said there have been reports the accident was caused by a semitrailer striking the back of the vehicle, but state police cannot confirm that. Tackett said there was currently no indication of another vehicle's involvement.
The SUV struck a concrete retaining wall as it left the Toll Road twice, flipped over once, then hit the retaining wall again. Witnesses said Jatima was ejected.
A truck driver jumped in the water to retrieve the girl and got within 10 feet, but couldn't reach her, Tackett said. The driver, in turn, was rescued from the water where he had clung to a pylon.
The Cline exit ramp was closed until 2 p.m. Thursday to allow state police experts to reconstruct the accident. The report, which will not be ready for weeks, will determine if another vehicle was involved and other factors, such as speed.
The vehicle did not have a car seat, though occupants told police Jatima was restrained by a safety belt.
"Children should be placed in restraint systems or booster seats, not just because it's the law, because it can save another family from such a tragedy," Tackett said.
Mack said Jacqueline Green, who was not at the scene Thursday, was devastated and in shock.
He described his daughter as fun and independent. He believes, along with his sister Tiffany Mack, who helped search, that Jatima is alive.
"I'm not going to leave and give up. She's waiting for Daddy."
Times staff writer Elizabeth Eaken contributed to this report.
Indiana Child Restraint Law
All 50 states have legislation requiring use of child safety seats or seat belts for children. Indiana law requires that:
* Children from birth until their 4th birthday must be properly restrained in a child safety seat. Children covered under this section of the law must be restrained in all seating positions of all vehicles.
* Effective July 1, children are required to ride properly restrained in a child restraint, which can include a belt positioning booster seat, until they reach their 8th birthday, in all vehicles. Children at least 8 years old until their 16th birthday are required to ride properly restrained in a child restraint system or seat belt in all seating positions in all vehicles.
Indiana Passenger Law
Children 16 and older as well as adults are required to ride properly restrained in a seat belt in passenger vehicles.
Deaths preventable
Child restraint seats are effective when used and properly installed, said Indiana State Police Sgt. Wanda Clay, a certified car seat technician.
They reduce risk of death by 71 percent for infants and 54 percent for children ages 1-4. They reduce the need for hospitalization for injuries for children under age 4 by 69 percent, she said.
From 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, the Methodist Hospitals and the Indiana State Police will conduct a car seat check at the Northlake Rehab Center, at 25th and Taft in Gary, to show people how to properly install the seats.
Back to story No comments posted.
- It wasn't clear, concise or focused on the topic in the story.
- It was a personal attack, vulgar, explicit or degrading, used actual or implied profanity or contained potentially libelous statements.
- It accused someone of being guilty of a crime.
- It promoted violence or illegal acts.
- It contained telephone numbers or street addresses, or e-mail addresses and links to Web sites other than nwi.com or government agencies.
In no way do these comments represent the views of The Times or Lee Enterprises.
Passionate views, pointed criticism and critical thinking are welcome. Name-calling, crude and profane language and personal abuse are not welcome.
Reader comments will not be edited - they will be approved or declined. They may be used in the print edition of the newspaper.
If you feel a posted comment has violated these guidelines, please email our New Media team the commenter's name, the comment and a link to the article.
For more information please read our Terms of Service.