Crying Toddler Locked in Bank Vault for Four Hours
- Posted on February 26, 2011 at 1:27pm by
Emily Esfahani Smith
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CONYERS, Ga. (AP/THE BLAZE) — A 14-month-old girl who wandered away from her mother and grandmother spent several tense hours trapped inside a time-locked bank vault and authorities pumped fresh air through vents to the crying child until a locksmith freed her, police said.
The locksmith pried the toddler unharmed from the vault Friday night about four hours after she went missing while visiting a grandparent who worked at a Wells Fargo bank branch in the greater Atlanta suburb of Conyers, police said.
Authorities say police and firefighters couldn’t free the toddler and feverishly summoned the locksmith after the child apparently strayed into the open vault as the bank was closing Friday – before an employee shut the vault door for the day.
Conyers Police Chief Gene Wilson told reporters it was a “very tense scene” as authorities stood by along with the relatives, and rescue workers pumped fresh air into vents leading to the vault.
Conyers police, contacted by The Associated Press early Saturday, said they would have no immediate updates.
Child Trapped in Conyers Bank Vault: MyFoxATLANTA.com
The child was spotted on security cameras inside the vault, which has a time-release lock, Wilson said. He added that the locksmith used a large drill to breach the vault about four hours after it had been closed.
“That was one of the better moments I’ve ever witnessed,” Wilson said, adding the girl was fine save a needed diaper change.
He said the girl delivered a note written by her grateful mother to the locksmith before heading home.
Authorities did not release the child’s name.
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temple62
Posted on February 28, 2011 at 6:01pmWorking at the bank but couldn’t afford child care??? It remind me of the backpackers hiking across the Iranian border or the climber having to be rescued off of Mt. Hood even though they knew a blizzard was coming. These people should “not run with scissors in their hand”. No sympathy here!
Report Post »Hillbillybone
Posted on February 28, 2011 at 9:34am20 minutes to break in by a good locksmith?
He needs to use this bit of information, and retire!
Glad the kid is OK…
Report Post »bs2722
Posted on February 27, 2011 at 4:41pmIt’s a FOX News story, so according to the left it must be a lie. When will they come out and say it never happened?
Report Post »bs2722
Posted on February 27, 2011 at 4:26pmThey didn’t need to ruin the vault door… it was going to open in the morning. The child wasn’t going anywhere, she was perfectly ….. um….. safe.
Report Post »DocH
Posted on February 27, 2011 at 1:30amDid they check the diaper for loot? This is what the world has been waiting for…..how to rob a bank on television and get away with it! Willy! You boob! Why didn’t you think about doing this? Why–we’d be on easy street instead of cleaning gas station restrooms…for $2 apiece yet.
Report Post »MUDFLAPS
Posted on February 26, 2011 at 10:33pmPenalty for early withdrawal.
Report Post »INTUITIVE
Posted on February 26, 2011 at 9:43pmWhy do banks leave their vaults wide open and then chain the pens to the counter?
Report Post »13th Imam
Posted on February 26, 2011 at 10:45pmSocial Security $ is in the congressional lockbox. with the pens
Report Post »angelcat
Posted on February 26, 2011 at 7:08pmSo glad the child is ok. This does mean we will have to have a federal law making it illegal for a child to enter a bank vault or for vaults to be closed without at least 5 people checking before it is closed?
Report Post »goatkid
Posted on February 26, 2011 at 6:46pmSome people think I’m awful. But I always kept my kids in a harness with a leash while I was out and about. It may look bad, but it keeps bad things like this from happening, and out of the hands of kidnappers.
Report Post »Elev8n
Posted on February 27, 2011 at 2:51pmI agree Goatkid. I keep my kid on a leash also. At what age did you stop doing this? My son is 15 now and I think I might take the leash off soon.
Report Post »Hmschlmom
Posted on February 27, 2011 at 9:39pmI did the same with my kids…but it didn’t keep them out of EVERY potential problem…
Once, my car died in a bank drive through…and the nice folks in the bank let me use a phone at a desk to call for a tow.
Had my little guy, on his wrist leash, right there…while I called. He crawled under the kneehole of the desk while I made the 2 minute call. As soon as I finished, I looked under the desk, to see my son giggling, and saying “Butt-on…Butt-on”
I promptly went very pale, and scooped him up. Ran to the nice lady who had let me make the call, and suggested she call the police department, and tell them they WEREN’T being ROBBED…because, I was pretty sure my son just pushed their panic button!
And panic, they did! Never have I seen that many people move that fast en masse before…
My son is now 21, and we still tease him about this.
Report Post »grannyjojo
Posted on February 26, 2011 at 4:35pmI know, I know we can pick this apart but for ME, I’m just thankful the little one was found and was unharmed. Mistakes happen and thank the Lord this one wasn’t one with a bad ending. I raised 3 children and have 6 grandchildren and they are quick and as parents we are not perfect. I hope lessons are learned all the way around and I’m glad to hear there was a good outcome.
Every knee will bow and every tongue confess. God bless all
Report Post »smartypoop
Posted on February 26, 2011 at 4:00pmUmmmmm…..Im glad the child is ok….BUT….the two “responcible” adults did not notice that the child had wandered off and was gone for how long, thus allowing the child to end up in a life threatening situation? Sounds like child endangerment to me.
Report Post »paulamadden
Posted on February 26, 2011 at 3:27pmSigh…between the mother AND the grandmother….someone should have had an eye on that child at all times in a public place.
Report Post »kodewords
Posted on February 26, 2011 at 3:19pmWhy do you guys assume that the bank was filled with pedophiles? It’s a bank, open during business hours, with both mom and grandma present. There probably isn’t a safer place for a kid to be, and yet you assume this was an epidose of negligence. It’s not like they were letting the kid wander through an Egyptian rape factory.
Report Post »Politicalillusions
Posted on February 27, 2011 at 7:05pmDid Egyptians have rape factories? Dang, they really were ahead of their time
Report Post »RingADingDing
Posted on February 26, 2011 at 2:51pmI think we know what type of people were working in the bank.
Report Post »Jeremiah15-19to21
Posted on February 26, 2011 at 2:28pmIt is refreshing to read a news story with such a positive outcome, and to see major obstacles defeated when motivated people work together with a common goal. Since this happened on a Friday, the time-lock may have held until Monday depending on the hours of operation at the bank. Without the security cameras locating the girl, the fire fighters/police pumping oxygen through the vents, and the locksmith drilling the lock, this story could have had a tragic outcome. I bet that letter is worth a lot more to the locksmith than his wages for the four hours of work.
Report Post »geonj
Posted on February 26, 2011 at 2:26pmglad the kid is ok. just wish we didn’t have to politicize every news story.
Report Post »chickenfried
Posted on February 26, 2011 at 1:57pmThat gives me a fabulous idea…I think I’ll train my 15 month old daughter to stuff her diaper with $100 bills. Then we’ll go to the bank at closing time….much needed diaper change, oh really?
Report Post »8jrts
Posted on February 26, 2011 at 2:07pmLMAO!!!! You may want her to skip dinner the night before.
Report Post »flatrockin-nelly
Posted on February 26, 2011 at 1:51pmWait, I just realized the mother was there too. It appears HUA (head-up-a**) is a family trait…
Report Post »flatrockin-nelly
Posted on February 26, 2011 at 1:48pmWay to watch your toddler, grandma… Luckily, she wandered into a “safe-place” instead into the arms of a pedophile, huh?
Wonder if Grandma’s insurance will cover the repair/replacement of the vault? Wait, this is Wells Fargo; they’ve got stimulus money to work with, not to worry…
Report Post »8jrts
Posted on February 26, 2011 at 1:53pmMom was there too…..she’s got more responsibility than Grandma.
Report Post »eat-more-bacon-USA
Posted on February 26, 2011 at 1:44pmPoor parenting can be hazardous to a child’s health.
Report Post »obama_binpharteen
Posted on February 26, 2011 at 1:42pmPoor child was probably worried about their future inheritance.
Report Post »8jrts
Posted on February 26, 2011 at 1:42pmGood One!!
Report Post »ilovethiscountry
Posted on February 26, 2011 at 1:36pmPoor little girl.
Report Post »TruthDarts
Posted on February 26, 2011 at 1:35pmSOMEONE is losing their job over this one.
Report Post »bikerltoo
Posted on February 26, 2011 at 1:41pmThe grandparent?
8jrts
Posted on February 26, 2011 at 1:49pmWhat’s scary is how long was this year old child gone before Mom figured it out?? Mom doesn’t know how lucky she is….if someone had decided to nab her kid, they’d be long gone before she ever knew her precious baby was gone….as for the person who closed the door….I’m sure when they checked the vault they were looking for a person around at about 5-6 feet high…not for a toddler.
Report Post »UlyssesP
Posted on February 26, 2011 at 1:33pmAwwww.
Report Post »13th Imam
Posted on February 26, 2011 at 1:45pmThank God she’s Ok
Report Post »City authorities have arrested the child for Breaking and Entering, Noise violations, Crapping in your diaper without a permit. The no tolerance statute will be enforced and she will incarcerated(jailed for those in Rio Linda) for thirty days
Showtime
Posted on February 26, 2011 at 1:55pmI heard that on WSB-Radio this a.m. Thank goodness the child is out and okay. That is about 25 miles from where I live, and I used to work in Conyers. Didn’t know anything was there except for a few houses, an Interstate highway, and a prestressed concrete plant!
Report Post »tower7femacamp
Posted on February 26, 2011 at 2:12pmPoor DASH I’m glad your Mom got you out ok.
Report Post »tower7femacamp
Posted on February 26, 2011 at 2:13pmDASH was going to see if the Federal Reserve really is a private bank.
Report Post »Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
Posted on February 26, 2011 at 4:18pmThank God for happy endings.
Report Post »slimster
Posted on February 27, 2011 at 2:14amfwweee munney?
Report Post »Elev8n
Posted on February 27, 2011 at 2:47pmAwww., is right Ulyssesp. How long til they fire Grandma for having family vist her at work? And pay for a new safe as well.
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