Mudslide Survivor Describes Digging Baby out From Four Feet of Debris in Montecito, California

As massive mudslides hit Montecito, California, a man says he dug a baby out from four feet of mud and debris on Tuesday morning.

Berkeley Johnson said he and wife Karen climbed through a window to their roof around 3 a.m. after mud and rocks came crashing into their home and dumped eight feet of mud on their staircase.

“I heard the rumbling of the rocks and I looked up and the river and the trees were coming down like chum, chum, chum,” he told KSBY. “We ran into the house and right then the boulders busted through our house.”

The couple climbed down the room when flooding receded and heard a baby crying near their neighbor’s home. Johnson dug through four feet of mud before they discovered the child, who was later taken to the hospital for treatment.

“We don’t know where it came from but we got it out, got the mud out of its mouth,” he said, fighting back tears. “I hope it’s okay… I’m glad we got it out but who knows what else is out there.”

Authorities have not released information on the child’s condition as of Wednesday afternoon.

At least 13 people have been killed and 25 injured as a result of the mudslides and flooding in southern California, according Santa Barbara Country Sheriff Bill Brown on Tuesday afternoon. The event that has forced thousands to evacuate their homes.

Most fatalities are believed to have occurred in Montecito, a wealthy town about 100 miles northwest of Los Angeles that is home to celebrities including Oprah Winfrey, Ellen DeGeneres and Rob Lowe.

Winfrey shared harrowing footage of her backyard following the mudslides’ roll through her neighborhood and on Tuesday.

“Woke up to this blazing gas fire. then swipe left to see how deep the mud is in my backyard. Helicopters rescuing my neighbors. Looking for missing persons. 13 lives lost,” Winfrey captioned a series of three chilling videos.

Winfrey posted an update on Wednesday to share that her home sustained minor damage “that pales in comparison to what my neighbors are going thru.”

DeGeneres also posted a photo of the Montecito area following the mudslides and flooding.

“This is not a river. This is the 101 freeway in my neighborhood right now,” she said. “Montecito needs your love and support.”