Firefighter finds kids lost in cornfield

Ken Eggestein

walks into

cornfield,

hears children

By FRITZ BUSCH

Journal Staff Writer

NEW ULM -- Thanks to a New Ulm fire fighter, two young rural New Ulm children and their yellow Labrador dog are safe and sound today after spending more than two hours in a cornfield late Friday morning.

Ken Eggestein -- based at the Goosetown fire station -- was searching for the missing kids on a path in a heavily-wooded area about 50 yards north of the Lori and Dwight Flitter residence at about 12:30 p.m. Friday.

Since he didn't hear or see them, he decided to walk into a nearby cornfield in hopes of finding their four-year-old Morgan and two-year-old son Declyn Flitter.

Suddenly, Eggestein -- a Readiness Non-Commissioned Officer with the Army National Guard unit in New Ulm -- heard the children talking. He kept walking towards the sound.

"I hollered out for the little girl to keep on taking until I found the kids and their dog sitting in the corn," Eggestein said. "The girl told me she found some sweet corn and was eating it but that she couldn't find her mom."

The children were a bit hot and dirty but appeared unharmed. The Flitters, their neighbors and law enforcement and fire and rescue personnel joined the search after Lori Flitter made a 911 call regarding her missing children at about 10:30 a.m. The children were found more than two hours later.

"The day started badly but had a good ending," Dwight Flitter said. "Thanks to everybody that helped. It meant a lot. I wouldn't wish this on anybody. No way. It was frightening."

Brown County Sheriff Deputy Larry Wall was obviously relieved after the children were found.

"It was a great ending to a serious situation," Wall said. "We were concerned about dehydration. This was an example of multi agencies working together toward a common goal. I really appreciated all the help we got."

The sheriff's office was aided by New Ulm Police, fire and rescue units from New Ulm and Courtland, K-9 units from Lake Crystal and Watonwan County and the Minnesota State Patrol.