5-Year-Old Miraculously Survives 30 Hours in Wreckage After Fatal Colorado Crash Kills Parents

A 5-year-old managed to survive a fatal car crash that killed both of her parents. However, the girl had to endure enormous suffering for more than 30 hours before authorities found her.

The survivor has been identified as Kayce Griffin. According to a press release by the Colorado State Police (CSP), she was inside a Chevrolet S10 with her mother, Kalriza Tarango, 24, and her father, Devante Griffin, 25.

On May 1, the vehicle drove off Highway 160 and rolled over in Bayfield. However, the crash was not visible from the roadway, which made it difficult for anyone to notice the girl who survived.

The pickup truck was not discovered until 12:30 p.m. on May 2. According to authorities, the crash happened at around 6 a.m. on May 1, meaning the 5-year-old endured a survival ordeal for more than 30 hours.

According to La Plata County Coroner Jann Smith, neither the parents nor the child had seat belts on when the crash happened. In addition, Kayce was not in a car seat or a booster seat.

Upper Pine Fire Protection District Chief Bruce Evans told Tri-City Record “It’s absolutely critical that people understand that your kid might get big enough to be out of a car seat, but there’s still height and weight requirements for them to be in a booster seat, and a lot of parents are not familiar with the requirements of a child to be in a booster seat versus into a car seat.”

According to Colorado State Patrol spokesperson Hunter Matthews, when officers arrived at the scene, the girl started walking up the hill. Although she survived the incident, she still sustained minor injuries.

“You’d be surprised how resilient children are,” Matthews said. “She remained in the vehicle. We assumed that she was comfortable being around her parents.”

Kayce was taken to Mercy Hospital in Durango. She was later released into her grandfather’s custody after treatment. Authorities said she was “very lucky” to have survived the crash.

The Colorado State Patrol said no charges are expected to be filed in the case. “At this time, impairment and excessive speed are not being investigated as factors leading to this crash,” the statement added.