Woman who died trapped in her car due to blizzard sent desperate final video to family
A woman has died after her car became stranded in the snow in Buffalo, New York, as the US battles a 'once in a lifetime' storm.
Anndel Taylor, 22, was driving home from work on Friday afternoon when her car became stuck in the snow.
Shortly before she died, Taylor sent a harrowing final video to her family in Charlotte, North Carolina, from inside the car.
Advert
The video sent the family into panic and they went online to urge people to try and find Taylor.
She was eventually found on Saturday - a cause of death has not yet been made public.
Speaking to local media in Charlotte, Taylor’s sister Shawnequa Brown told WCOS: “I don’t know if any of us really knew how serious it was, we didn’t see the news, we didn’t really know what was going on in Buffalo.”
The video, which was sent to the family’s group chat, showed Taylor’s car windows piling up with snow while strong winds could be heard in the background.
“She was telling my sister that she was scared,” Brown added.
Taylor had called 911 and was waiting for help to come and rescue her, but due to the bad weather, they couldn’t reach her.
According to her mum, Wanda Brown Steele, Taylor had been planning on sleeping out in the storm inside her car before walking home.
The severe storm has killed at least 57 people - of those, 25 are from Erie County, where Buffalo is situated.
The National Weather Service said that almost four feet of snow had fallen at Buffalo’s airport by Sunday.
Erie County executive Mark Poloncarz said: "This is not the Christmas any of us hoped for nor expected."
Buffalo Police Commissioner Joseph Gramaglia told CNN: “Unfortunately, they are still recovering bodies.”
He went on to say that the number will likely rise, adding: “I am aware of additional bodies that have been recovered and are being brought to our temporary morgue.
“We’ve had so many bodies that various hospitals are full and we’re just having to go through and determine if the individuals have died from a blizzard-related death.
“It’s just been a horrible, horrible situation.”
Officials in Erie County said it was a 'once in a lifetime' blizzard.
And New York Governor Kathy Hochul tweeted: “Just got off the phone with [President Joe Biden], who promised to swiftly approve my request for a federal emergency disaster declaration. We are extremely grateful to have the federal government's support as we help Western New York recover from this historic blizzard.”
The National Weather Service warned: “The life-threatening cold temperatures and in combination with dangerous wind chills will create a potentially life-threatening hazard for travellers that become stranded, individuals that work outside, livestock and domestic pets.”
Claire Reid