Brieonna Cassell, a 41-year-old woman from Wheatfield, Indiana, was discovered alive after surviving nearly a week trapped in her crashed Ford Taurus. According to the Newton County Sheriff's Office, Cassell had been missing for six days before an employee of Deyoung Drainage, Johnny Martinez, noticed her vehicle off the roadway, as reported in WGN-TV. Cassell was located on County Road 600S near County Road 300E, in a rural part of Northwest Indiana.
Cassell's mother, Kim Brown, stated that her daughter had left her mother’s house to visit friends in the area, and no trace of her had been seen since. It wasn't until Martinez, who was working near the Newton County Landfill, spotted the vehicle and alerted his supervisor, Morocco Fire Chief Jeremy Vanderwall, that the discovery was made. More than 400 vehicles reportedly passed by the crash site daily, unaware of Cassell's plight, as CBS Chicago revealed. Describing the rescue, Vanderwall mentioned initially believing the car to be empty until noticing movement within, subsequently realizing someone was trapped inside.
Upon being found, Cassell was conscious and could speak despite her ordeal. She told her rescuers she had not expected anyone to find her and had resigned herself to the belief that she might not survive. Cassell managed to stay alive by using her sweatshirt to collect and drink water from a nearby creek. "Bri had actually said to her daughter this morning, she was giving up hope, but she managed to stay alive," Cassell's father, Dale Brown told WGN-TV. Cassell was eventually airlifted to Advocate Christ Medical Center in Chicago for medical treatment.
An outpouring of community support unfolded following her discovery, with a GoFundMe Page being set up to assist with the medical expenses. The resolve to survive exhibited by Cassell is reminiscent of another Indiana resident's experience; Matt Reum also survived for six days after an accident, supported by rainwater and his airbag for warmth. Like Cassell, Reum's rescue came when he was discovered by pure chance, this time by a couple of fishermen scouting along Salt Creek, as highlighted in the same CBS Chicago report.
