A baby girl miraculously survived after being left alone in her crib for days without food or water as her grandmother lay dead on the floor in a nearby room in the Tennessee home.
Tracy Ineichen, 28, became concerned when she was unable to reach her mother, who had been watching Ineichen’s daughter, 15-month-old Brier Rose, since Ineichen had been jailed on September 5, WATE-TV reported.
She asked her boyfriend, Anthony Waldo, to check in on the pair Saturday at their Maryville home. It had been a week since Ineichen spoke with her mother and the woman did not show up for her weekly visit at the jail, the TV station reported.
“Ok so i get a call to go check on a friend and when i get their the door is open , screen door locked. Something is wrong I call out to her, no response,” Waldo wrote on Facebook.
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Waldo forced the home’s door open and first found little Brier Rose in her crib with her arms out crying for attention, WVLT-TV reported. She looked very weak, smelled of urine and had swollen lips.
He then found Annette Ineichen, 58, dead on in her bathroom, he said. She is believed to have died from a medical issue, according to reports.
Maryville Police Chief Tony Crisp told WBIR-TV Annette Ineichen was dead for several days.
“Based on the condition of the body, we think somewhere between three and five days, but that’s just a speculation for now,” Crisp said.
Waldo called 911 and Brier Rose was rushed to East Tennessee Children’s Hospital where she was treated for severe dehydration and lack of food.
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Her condition has improved, Waldo told reporters, noting he has gone to see her every day since she was found.
“Every day she got a little stronger, a little bit better,” Waldo told WBIR-TV.
Waldo created a GoFundMe account on behalf of Tracy Ineichen, writing: “The majority of funds will go towards Brier’s medical expenses from her rehabilitory(sic) stay in the ICU. Next, the funds will help w/ financial matters that need attended to. I.e. funeral, mortgage etc.”
Brier Rose has been placed in the care of family members after having been in custody of the Department of Children Services, WATE-TV reported.
Waldo has assumed care of several dogs that were also found in the home.