Indiana Mother Survives Six Days Trapped in Car After Crash

Brieonna Cassell, 41, endured severe injuries and relied on resourceful survival tactics before being rescued by a passerby in Newton County.

Brieonna Cassell, a 41-year-old mother of three, crashed her car into a deep ditch in Brook, Indiana, on March 6, 2025, and remained trapped for six days.
Unable to move due to severe injuries to her legs, ribs, and wrist, Cassell used her sweater to collect water from a nearby ditch to survive.
Her car was hidden from view of passing traffic, and her cries for help went unheard; her phone had also lost power during the ordeal.
Johnny Martinez, a drainage equipment operator, spotted the vehicle on March 11, leading to the rescue by local fire chief Jeremy Vanderwell and emergency services.
Cassell was airlifted to a Chicago hospital and is in the ICU; her family has started a fundraiser to cover medical expenses as she faces a long recovery.