9-Year-Old Girl Survives Car Crash, Lives 2 Days on Pop-Tarts and Gatorade Before Rescue
- Posted on November 15, 2011 at 9:30am by
Liz Klimas
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COVE CITY, N.C. (The Blaze/AP) — A 9-year-old North Carolina girl pinned in an upside down wrecked car for almost two days ate Pop-Tarts and Gatorade to help her survive the single-car crash that killed her father before being rescued Sunday night after a passerby noticed the car.
Watch the Associated Press report:
Jordan Landon of Cove City was airlifted to a hospital Sunday after rescue teams cut her out of the 1995 Chevrolet Monte Carlo that had been flipped in a culvert since Friday night, the North Carolina Highway Patrol said. Killed was 39-year-old Douglas Landon, police said.
Sgt. David Clifton called the girl “heroic” and that she was able to stay calm despite being trapped in the dark and cold. He says the girl was talkative and is expected to fully recover.
Her mother, Claudette Leohmann, said Jordan was recovering but was very upset about the loss of her father, who was Leohmann’s longtime boyfriend. Leohmann filed a missing persons report after the two didn’t come home Friday and began a search herself, according to WCTI-TV. In the search, she got in her own car crash, just 100 feet from the car where her daughter was trapped:
None of the rescuers reporting to Leohmann‘s wreck saw Doug Landon’s car down the embankment.
“I’m sure Jordan could hear the sirens and everything and hear the police talking on the radio and nobody knew she was there,” said Doug’s employer and friend Butch Morse.
Clifton said a person walking by saw the car off the state highway and called 911 late Sunday afternoon, more than 40 hours after the pair was believed to have crashed on their way to a store. Temperatures at night had dropped into the 30s in the area in eastern North Carolina.
Police said the speedometer on the car was stuck at more than 100 mph. Douglas Landon’s employer and friend, Butch Morse, said he found hard to believe Landon was going that fast.
“He wasn’t speeding, there is no way in God’s green earth he was speeding,” Morse told WCTI-TV.
In his final moments, a family friend said Landon was trying to protect his daughter.
“He was curled up in a ball with his arm right across his chest and his other arm pushed out across Jordan. He was trying to hold her and trying to keep her protected, he was a good father,” Kevin Brinson told the TV station.
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Comments (58)
Reload
Posted on November 15, 2011 at 2:58pmTwo days on pop tarts & gatorade!?!
When i was single, I survived for years on ramen noodles and tap water!
She’s a lightweigh.
Report Post »Texas17
Posted on November 15, 2011 at 3:16pmReally,failed humor is what you came up with as a reply?…Really?,..
Report Post »Reload
Posted on November 15, 2011 at 3:39pm@ TEXAS17.
Do you have a machine that pulls the bunched panties from the crack of your *ss or do you solicit the help of a friend that has a blindfold, rubber gloves and a quaalude?
Lighten up already.
Report Post »lildeb56
Posted on November 16, 2011 at 2:20pmWhat a compassionate post.
Report Post »hopetochange2012
Posted on November 16, 2011 at 11:47pmYOU are a jerk Reload. There are some things that are not funny…..like a young girl losing her father and for 2 days wondering if anyone would find her.
And then you criticize Texas17 for not laughing with you. What a low life you are.
Report Post »sbish
Posted on November 15, 2011 at 2:35pmI guess Michelle Obama is going to have to wait until she recieves her reward in heaven to chastise this father for not having more nourishing survival provided for his daughter.
Report Post »rabblechat
Posted on November 15, 2011 at 2:05pmPeople have made it 40-50 years subsisting on that kind of junk food, I’m not surprised she made it two days….
Report Post »Saggar
Posted on November 15, 2011 at 1:53pmSad the girl had to go through this.
However, after 9 years the father was in a “long term” relationship with the mother (not married) and had pop tarts and gatorade in the car. Kind of seems like he was a loser. Sorry.
Report Post »LOTO
Posted on November 15, 2011 at 2:37pmAbsolutely on the head! He should have left the woman a long time ago if she would not marry him.
Report Post »Besides, if Michelle had been doing her job there would have been a chef with them at all times to serve proper meals even in survival. Two days on poptarts? Cinnamon sugar? I’ll go a week. Let em at ‘em.
I do prefer milk.
Texas17
Posted on November 15, 2011 at 3:17pmYour comments peg you as the only loser around here.
Report Post »Texas17
Posted on November 15, 2011 at 3:19pmBy the way,he didnt have the pop tarts in there for survival you insolent fool.
Report Post »Saggar
Posted on November 15, 2011 at 5:56pmHey, it was a horrible tragedy. I’m just saying that a boyfriend of at least 9+ years that doesn’t marry you, having a child with him, it’s time to move on. I’m just wondering why someone keeps pop tarts in their car.
Wouldn’t it totally suck if we learned his blood alcohol level was high. Just sayin’
All in all a horrible story and nobody deserves to die like that.
Report Post »proudfather2
Posted on November 15, 2011 at 12:54pmAs a dad of a 9 year old girl, I could not even imagine what that dad was going thru if he did not pass right away, the fear of dying in front of your child and then knowing she will be there alone without you being able to protect her. My heart breaks for all involved.
Report Post »Lyssa7
Posted on November 15, 2011 at 12:51pmWhat a tragedy. I hope God will bless her soul that she can find the strength to overcome such a horrible ordeal. I hope God will bless her mother.
Report Post »COFemale
Posted on November 15, 2011 at 11:33amGod rest the father’s soul and bless that little girl for being so brave.
I tried to determine the make of the car to see if it may have been a Toyota; that gas pedal sticking issue. Although, I had that happen with my 1969 Ford Mustang back in the early 70′s. Luckily, I was not driving. I had just started the car and was still in park with the emergency break on. The car engined raced, slightly lunging forward; pumping the gas pedal did not stop the engine racing. I had to turn the car off; this all happened in seconds. Scared me to death. I waited almost 20 minutes before I started the car again.
Hopefully, the girl isn’t so traumatized to tell authorities exactly what transpired. It is hard to imagine that a person would drive this fast with a child in the car, but anything is possible.
Report Post »rabblechat
Posted on November 15, 2011 at 3:46pmIf you had read the article you would know the make of the vehicle.
Report Post »CHESTER MOUSE
Posted on November 15, 2011 at 11:04amCan’t imagine what the little girl was going through with her dead daddy next to her for 40 hours. Absolutely freighting!
Report Post »piper60
Posted on November 15, 2011 at 12:34pmNot to be morbid, but I can only imagine the smell.
Report Post »TWO BITS
Posted on November 15, 2011 at 10:54amWhat a horrible ordeal for this child, or an adult as well. Thankfully Jordon was finally rescued, and I wish her a full recovery. Blessings to her, family, and friends!
Report Post »loveliberty83
Posted on November 15, 2011 at 10:36amthank God someone found her but wht didn”t the police check that road out for the car when they only went to the store
Report Post »beekeeper
Posted on November 15, 2011 at 10:33amI’ve known quite a few college students to live much longer on a similar diet
Glad she’s OK, sorry for her loss.
Report Post »Walkabout
Posted on November 15, 2011 at 10:28amAviation fuel is expensive. Why not use small unmanned drones to quickly search ravines along known or probable routes? That is assuming that it was a crash & not a kidnapping.
Report Post »SIXFRIGATES
Posted on November 15, 2011 at 10:26amSince the Obama depression started, isn’t that what most of our diets are like?
Report Post »MOLLYPITCHER
Posted on November 15, 2011 at 10:24amMaybe poptarts and gatorade are good for something after all.
Report Post »DDD
Posted on November 15, 2011 at 11:25amMy first thought when I heard this report was, why are they making this a commercial for these two products? The real story is the girl stuck in a car along with her dead father – she didn’t need the products to survive for two days – you can get by with no food or liquid for two days – she survived the ACCIDENT and the ORDEAL of being with her father. Media is dumb.
Report Post »COFemale
Posted on November 15, 2011 at 11:38amReally DDD, you are going to split hairs on this topic. She was nine, nine year old‘s don’t know how long they could survive with or without food. All they know is they are hungry and thirsty and she had food and drink. Don’t be such an idiot.
Report Post »docvet
Posted on November 15, 2011 at 2:50pmThank you COFEMALE. Saved me saying the same thing. Of course, DDD has lots of company.
Report Post »PATRIOTMAMA
Posted on November 15, 2011 at 10:23amThis poor girl!!!! May God heal her heart from what she’s endured. Find the posts about product placement and other food regulations funny but kinda harsh guys to be posting it on a story of a girl that spent two days in an upside down wrecked car with the body of her father whom she loved and just lost. Not to mention the despair she must have felt when not rescued while they were with her mother’s wreck. Not being too critical but please pray for her and her mother for their loss and healing from the trauma of this accident.
Report Post »biohazard23
Posted on November 15, 2011 at 10:31amAmen, PatriotMama. :)
Report Post »cemerius
Posted on November 15, 2011 at 10:41amDevine intervention for certain!!
Report Post »TheVoice1
Posted on November 15, 2011 at 11:50amwell said and amen
Report Post »Reload
Posted on November 15, 2011 at 10:19am“Police said the speedometer on the car was stuck at more than 100 mph.”
I‘m pretty sure that kind of technology wasn’t available in 1995.
Report Post »PA_BOB
Posted on November 15, 2011 at 10:48amYea–I don’t believe the “recording devices” were in use back that far… Personally, I also call BS on the claim of his speeding just based upon where the speedometer was “frozen”… Anyone who’s spun their wheels in ice, mud, or snow probably has seen their speedometer zip up by 2-3x their actual speed due to the wheel spin. Not too inconceivable that as the poor guy was flipping over he stomped the hell out of the accelerator unintentionally while bracing himself for the impact.
Much better to rely on forensic analysis of the crash–skid marks, vehicle damage, etc. than a speedometer… Making such an accusation without the full analysis is wholly unfair.
Report Post »Walkabout
Posted on November 15, 2011 at 10:49amIf the speedometer was mechanical & not digital, you would think that the crash would have something to do with its’ position.
Report Post »drago
Posted on November 15, 2011 at 11:10am@Reload and others.
Report Post »The technology to record a vehicles speed, and other information, WAS, around in 1995.I know this because i was a G.M. mechanic for many years. If the car had a mechanical speedometer, which is likely, the “needle” very well could have stuck, from the impact alone.
Reload
Posted on November 15, 2011 at 12:13pm@DRAGO.
I did some research on a system we have here where I work (I am Ford technician & have been at Ford dealerships for almost 21 yrs) called Alldata. Alldata is an automotive infomation database with access to vehicle specific service manuals & diagrams. Whether the speedo head is mechanical or electronic (both were options that year), I don’t see anything that would indicate that either designed instrument cluster or speedo head had any sort of technology that would make a speedometer needle freeze or record the last speed in an impact event. While it is possible that the needle “stuck” in a severe enough impact, it wouldn’t be an accurate indicator of actual vehicle speed at the time of impact. There are too many variables involved such as, did the driver accidentally stomp the accelerator pedal as a natural reaction to brace for impact? If the car left the road onto wet grass with the drivers foot still on the accelerator did the wheels spin? Did the driver punch the accelerator pedal to attempt to correct a vehicle spin? The only module on a 1995 Monte Carlo that the abilitly to record impact force & speed as best as i can tell, is the airbag module, and the only thing that the instrument cluster and the airbag module have in common is and airbag indicator fead wire to illuminate the airbag indicator in the instrument cluster to prove the indicator out or to indicate a fault.
Report Post »dkm72
Posted on November 15, 2011 at 12:47pm@DRAGO: I do believe that you are mistaken. GM used OBD1 on that vehicle and it did not have any way to record that. This speedo stuck for one of two reasons. 1. On impact the speedo jumped and stuck at 100. 2. When this vehicle’s tires were off the ground that father still had his foot on the pedal causing it to go up. Not to mention the vehicle was upside down. That being said the speedo would be hanging down. Now let us think if the vehicle was leaning on the roof one way or another. It would either cause the speedo to go to 0 or 100. There is nothing in the instrument cluster or ECM in a 1995 Monte Carlo that would record the speed of the vehicle and cause the speedo to stick at that speed. This is an OBD1 vehicle; it did not have that type of functionality. I am glad this little girl survived, but this is a terrible job by that investigator to even say something like that. It saddens me that someone that obviously has no knowledge of the workings of a motor vehicle would say something like that to the press that damages the way this father is thought of without ANY proof.
Report Post »geomann
Posted on November 15, 2011 at 1:05pmWheels spinning in the air could have been doing 100 easily, yet give no indication of speed before the accident. Blaming Dad won’t help the girl, either.
Report Post »mdlwoods
Posted on November 15, 2011 at 10:09amShhhhh!!! Don’t talk about Pop-tarts too loudly or they will soon be banned! So will Gatorade! (High in sugar.)
Report Post »SanDiegoCountyCitizen
Posted on November 15, 2011 at 12:12pm@MDLWOODS
Report Post »Unfortunately, like most other food and drink products today, sugar is not used as a sweetener in Gator-aid. Corn Syrup, Sucrose and Dextrose are the sweetener of choice, due to our tax dollars funding the Corn industry and their lobbyists.
Eliasim
Posted on November 15, 2011 at 9:46amIt‘s a good thing Michelle hasn’t taken away Pop-tarts yet or she wouldn’t have had food for two days.
Report Post »smithclar3nc3
Posted on November 15, 2011 at 10:05amIf you throw in cheap hot dogs and beer I lived like that for the first couple of years went I moved out at 16.
Report Post »lel2007
Posted on November 15, 2011 at 9:45amSo do Pop-Tarts actually have food value, or was it the Gatorade that saved her?
Report Post »Eliasim
Posted on November 15, 2011 at 9:45amYou’ve got to love those car computers.
Report Post »Eliasim
Posted on November 15, 2011 at 9:47amMakes me feel safe.
Report Post »Eliasim
Posted on November 15, 2011 at 9:56amWasn’t that car a GM?
Report Post »bikerr
Posted on November 15, 2011 at 9:45amSorry for the fathers death and the girlfriends loss. I’m, sure the White House will be talking to the remaining people about the way they feed their children.After all it’s about the kids.
Report Post »biohazard23
Posted on November 15, 2011 at 9:44amPoor girl. I can’t imagine how scared she must have been. Thank God she‘s been found and she’ll be OK.
Report Post »TEXASGRANNY73
Posted on November 15, 2011 at 10:07amAgreed. I see no funny element to a tragic story and one of survival. Glad the little girl is safe now.
Report Post »TheVoice1
Posted on November 15, 2011 at 11:53amand stuck in a seat belt upside down incrediable
Report Post »rdietz7
Posted on November 15, 2011 at 9:35amawesome product placement
Report Post »lukerw
Posted on November 15, 2011 at 9:34amAmazing!
Report Post »GhostOfJefferson
Posted on November 15, 2011 at 9:33am“LIVES 2 DAYS ON POP-TARTS AND GATORADE BEFORE RESCUE”
Amateur. I could live entire weeks at a time on that diet during high school.
Report Post »bikerr
Posted on November 15, 2011 at 9:46am@GhostOfJefferson—–Yes,and it shows!
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