Fleeing crimes, naked mom abandons toddler along Merced River bank
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MERCED COUNTY, Calif. — Authorities in Merced County say they arrested a woman after she abandoned her 4-year-old daughter along the shore of the Merced River, leading to an intensive, hours-long search for the missing toddler early Wednesday morning, April 29.
According to California Highway Patrol, before leaving her child to fend for herself along the bank of the river, the woman was first involved in a solo-vehicle crash before stealing another vehicle, crashing into a home’s garage, and fleeing the area.
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Officers from the CHP Merced Area Office were first alerted to the situation around 12:30 a.m. after receiving a call from a business reporting that a nude woman had walked into a business and said she had been involved in a crash, CHP reported after the bizarre incident and arrest.
The 911 caller told emergency dispatchers that the woman claimed she had left her four-year-old daughter alone somewhere – “possibly in a field” – while she searched for help, according to CHP.
Courtney Hill was arrested in Merced County after abandoning her 4-year-old daughter following a solo-vehicle crash, according to CHP; who say they found the soaking wet and terrified toddler along the shore of the Merced River. Merced County Sheriff booking photo
When officers arrived and contacted Hill at the business, located in the area of Shaffer and Oakdale roads, the naked woman told them she had been involved in a traffic collision near Amsterdam and Youd roads, about five and a half miles away.
“After the initial collision, Hill and her child walked to a nearby residence where she stole a Jeep Grand Cherokee,” CHP reported; saying, “As Hill was fleeing, she collided with the garage and continued to drive approximately one mile before exiting the vehicle.”
After stealing the Jeep and crashing into the owner’s garage, Hill and her child continued on foot in the early-morning darkness, walking through several fields before wading across the Merced River, according to CHP.
Once having crossed the river with the toddler, Hill reportedly placed her on the bank of the river and told her to stay at the location, “leaving the child wet and alone in the dark,” CHP continued.
Hill then walked to the nearby business she found open, where she was later contacted by officers.
Based on the circumstances, additional resources were immediately summoned to the scene; including Merced Sheriff’s Department, Riggs, and Cal Fire.
A CHP helicopter was also deployed to the area and officials began an intensive, hours-long ground and air search for the 4-year-old.
However, despite using the helicopter’s spotlight and thermal imaging camera, officers were initially unable to locate the child.
Officials continued their frantic efforts to locate the missing toddler, “crossing several fields before coming upon the Merced River,” CHP continued.
“After several hours of searching the area and calling out to the child, officers finally heard those magic words, ‘I’M HERE’,” officials described.
Following the sound of the terrified child’s voice, officers soon spotted the still soaking wet girl on the opposite side of the Merced River.
An official at the scene of Wednesday morning’s hours-long search captured the dramatic moment an officer scooped up Hill’s daughter before bringing her back across the river to safety. CHP – Merced photo
Officers at the scene said the toddler – who was also found without clothes on – was discovered sitting on driftwood along the river bank, mere feet from the water’s edge and that they could barely see her in the tall grass and thick foliage.
“Without hesitation, officers quickly crossed the river and safely retrieved the child,” said CHP; who reported the little girl was “cold and shivering, but in good spirits.”
She was treated at the scene by paramedics and later evaluated by doctors before being taken into protective custody by Merced County Child Protective Services.
Based on their subsequent investigation, officers arrested Hill and she was later booked into Merced County Jail on suspicion of felony charges of vehicle theft and child endangerment, as well as misdemeanor charges of hit and run and resisting or obstructing a peace officer.
Online jail records indicate Hill remains in custody in lieu of $142,000 bail or bond and she is scheduled to be arraigned at Merced Superior Court May 1.
Jail records also indicate Hill will be seen in family court the same day regarding custody of the child she abandoned near the river.
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Trevor Montgomery, 48, moved in 2017 to the Intermountain area of Shasta County from Riverside County and runs Riverside County News Source and Shasta County News Source. Additionally, he writes or has written for several other news organizations; including Riverside County based newspapers, Valley News, (the now defunct) Valley Chronicle, Anza Valley Outlook, and Hemet & San Jacinto Chronicle; as well as Bonsall/Fallbrook Village News in San Diego County and Mountain Echo in Shasta County.
Trevor spent 10 years in the U.S. Army as an Orthopedic Specialist before joining the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department in 1998. He was medically retired after losing his leg, breaking his back, and suffering both spinal cord and brain injuries in an off-duty accident. (Click here to see segment of Discovery Channel documentary of Trevor’s accident.)
During his time with the sheriff’s department, Trevor worked at several different stations; including Robert Presley Detention Center, Southwest Station in Temecula, Hemet/Valle Vista Station, Ben Clark Public Safety Training Center, and Lake Elsinore Station; along with other locations.
Trevor’s assignments included Corrections, Patrol, DUI Enforcement, Boat and Personal Water-Craft based Lake Patrol, Off-Road Vehicle Enforcement, Problem Oriented Policing Team, and Personnel/Background Investigations. He finished his career while working as a Sex Crimes and Child Abuse Investigator and was a court-designated expert in child abuse and child sex-related crimes.
Trevor has been married for more than 29 years and was a foster parent to more than 60 children over 13 years. He is now an adoptive parent and his “fluid family” includes 13 children and 16 grandchildren.
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