Grandparents, grandchildren return safely to CdA

A Deer Park couple and their three grandchildren who went missing Sunday returned to the children’s Coeur d’Alene home this morning after freeing their vehicle that had been stuck in snow. Neil and Connie Bigelow went to Jeffrey and Kelly Morgan’s Coeur d’Alene home Sunday afternoon and picked up the three children with a plan to go to the lake shore to skip rocks, according to Coeur d’Alene police. When the children and the Bigelows failed to return, the parents to notified police early this morning, said Sgt. Christie Wood. The grandparents and children – Colton Morgan, 13, Hunter Morgan, 10, and Gage Morgan, 5 – returned about 8 a.m. The Bigelows told police that they drove up Hayden Creek and their vehicle became high-centered in snow near the top of road 206. They decided to wait out the night in the pickup. Connie Bigelow sang songs and helped the children draw pictures. At daybreak, they were able to dig out of the snow and return, police said. Detectives said the children were in good condition. Police Chief Wayne Longo said that motorists should be careful of harsh mountain conditions this time of year, including heavy snow and mud on forest roads. It’s a good idea to carry emergency supplies when traveling into the forest, Longo said in a press release. That would include food, water, flashlight, matches, maps, cell phone and extra clothing or blankets. The Kootenai County sheriff’s department assisted in the search.