CLARKSTON, Ga. — A shocking discovery in a Clarkston woman's van led to a happy ending for a family who had been in agony over the disappearance of their 1-year-old son.
Blaise Barnett was located inside of a van parked in a driveway on Rogers Street - not far from the Clarkston Police Department - when a woman found him Thursday, Nov. 11, officers said. An Amber Alert went out the previous morning after he went missing. Authorities said the SUV, he was inside of, was taken from his home.
DeKalb County Police released 911 calls in the case on Monday, which gave more insight into the child's safe return home. Authorities said he was discovered around 2:30 p.m. Thursday.
In the call from the Clarkston resident, the woman gave her address to dispatch and explained what happened.
Caller: Someone left a baby and a car seat in my van. I don’t know how long it’s been there.
Dispatch: A baby and a car seat?
Caller: Yes. I just went out to get in my car
The caller described the toddler and said the child didn't even look to be a year old. She said she took the baby out of the car because the child had gotten out of the car seat and was crawling in the dirt in the van.
The woman said she brought the baby in the house and cleaned the child's face. She told the operator she wasn't sure if the child is a boy or a girl.
Caller: I can't believe this.
Dispatch: OK. Stay on the phone with me. OK?
Caller: OK.
The woman told dispatch what the child was wearing - a diaper, a T-shirt, and blue socks.
While the call is taking place, Barnett can be heard in the background crying.
Caller: It's OK, sweetie, you're OK.
She told the operator she wasn't sure how long the toddler might have been in the van because this was the first time she had been out that day.
Caller: And when I opened the driver's side I saw a car seat.
That's when she said she discovered Barnett on the floor crying.
Caller: Oh my Gosh!
Dispatch: OK. Stay on the phone with me.
Caller: OK. Seems relatively healthy. Not hurt, not bleeding.
Barnett was still crying in the background.
Dispatch: OK. We are going to send EMS to make sure. Just stay on the line with me.
The operator asked the woman if she had been watching the news. The resident responded no; she then asked if there had been an Amber Alert. The operator explained to her that there was and told her to hang tight.
The caller continued to try to calm Barnett as they waited for police to arrive.
Caller: Hey sweetie, it's OK. It's OK. Here, you want the washcloth? It's OK. You're OK.
Caller: I cannot believe this. It's so wild.
Police arrived and the operator told the woman it was OK to hang up.
It's still a mystery as to who might have put Barnett in the car. Several agencies are investigating.
Police released two other 911 calls as well. One was from Barnett's dad when he called 911 to report that the SUV was stolen with the child inside of it. The other call was from a man who said he found the stolen SUV at the Brannon Hill Condos.
“Man, God had to tell me to come through here," he told the operator.
The case is still under investigation.