BAYFIELD, Colo. — “Both a tragedy and a miracle” is what authorities are calling a fatal car crash near Bayfield that took the lives of two adults but spared that of a 5-year-old child, who wasn’t found for more than a day.
The blue Chevrolet crashed Saturday morning, but crews discovered the wreckage nearly 30 hours later, down an embankment east of Bayfield off US 160.
Crews from Upper Pine Fire rescued the child from an upside-down Chevrolet and recovered the bodies of the two adults. Authorities said the family was from Farmington, New Mexico.
They have yet to be identified.
The Upper Pine Fire chief told Denver7 that the child appeared uninjured but was transported to Mercy Hospital in Durango as a precaution.
He said it’s not uncommon for crashes to go unnoticed for hours due to the terrain in the area. He said Saturday morning’s wreckage was not visible from the highway.
On Monday, the agency stressed the importance of properly using car and booster seats, which officials say many people misunderstand.
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