Toddler Survives Up to a Week Alone After Grandma Dies

A 15-month-old girl in Tennessee is on the mend after surviving up to a week trapped in her crib with no food or water, People reports. Brier Ineichen was staying with her grandmother Annette while her mother, Tracy, was in jail. But when Annette didn't show up for visitation hours, Tracy asked her boyfriend, Anthony Waldo, to check on the little girl, WBIR reports. According to WVLT, Waldo didn't get an answer at Annette's house on Saturday but could see Brier inside. "Brier was in her crib, and she stood up, heard my voice, and kind of reached out to me," Waldo says. "I told Tracy, 'I see Brier,' and she said, 'Break that door down.'"

Waldo tells WVLT Brier was so dehydrated when he found her she couldn't even cry. He also discovered Annette dead on the bathroom floor; authorities say she likely died from a medical issue, but they have not determined the cause of death. In the days since she was rescued, Brier has been treated for severe dehydration and malnourishment. “Every day she got a little stronger, a little bit better," Waldo tells WBIR. "She’s coming back to her natural self. She’s smiling and laughing.” Waldo says he's hoping to take care of Brier while Tracy remains in jail, but child services is still considering where to place the girl. (This boy survived more than 24 hours alone after getting lost in remote Utah.)