EL PASO COUNTY, Colo. (KRDO) – On Friday, Nov. 8, 2024, an 8-year-old girl was separated from her family after they got stuck in the middle of the road during a snowstorm.
KRDO13 spoke with the Ellicott Fire Protection District Division Chief, who was called to assist a family with their stuck car. When they found out the young girl had gone missing, the focus immediately shifted to a search and rescue operation.
Highway 24 was shut down in eastern El Paso County due to treacherous conditions. The family’s car got stuck even further east in the Calhan, Ellicott area at the intersection of Soap Weed Rd and Mid Jones Rd. First responders say the family’s car got stuck around 10:30 p.m.
“They were trying to get home,” shared, Ellicott Fire Protection District Division Chief, Norma Houghton.
But at that point, the snow and wind had picked up creating 3 to 5 feet drifts.
“It was blizzard-like conditions, visibility was slim to none. So it was super hard, and the drifts were hard to walk through. I was just praying that she was okay while trying to search and find her,” said Houghton.