Toddler’s rescue proves value of communitywide cooperation, commitment

Last weekend’s disappear- ance of a 2-year-old girl in northern Trumbull County had all the trappings of a tragedy in the making:

The adorable little girl, Rainn Peterson, had (as of yet at least) inexplicably disappeared from her great-grandparents’ home in the heavily rural community of North Bloomfield.

A drenching rainstorm and damp, chilly conditions made hopes for the well-being of such a young and helpless child appear increasingly remote.

Nearly two full days had passed since the Friday evening disappearance with little hint of her whereabouts and precious few clues surrounding her disappearance.

As a result, many quite naturally began to fear the worst.

Those fears thankfully turned out to be unwarranted. Throughout the ordeal, family members, neighbors and an exceedingly attentive Mahoning Valley community refused to give up hope for her rescue.

They also put that hope into positive and constructive action. Law enforcement and safety-service agencies on the local, state and federal fronts teamed up cooperatively at a makeshift command center with a detailed and sophisticated plan of action. The Vindicator and other news media in the region and state stayed on top of the case minute by minute. A posse more than 250 strong set out Sunday on foot, cars and horseback with dogged determination to locate her.

ALTIERE’S ADEPT LEADERSHIP

Trumbull County Sheriff Thomas Altiere pvovided adept tactical leadership throughout the two-day drama. He never wavered in his commitment. On Sunday, he vowed,“ We’re looking everywhere. We’re not putting a limit on the search. We will keep searching until we find her.”

And find Rainn Peterson they did – safe, alive and relatively unscathed. At about 6:30 p.m. Sunday – just before the massive search was scheduled to be suspended for the night – Victor Sutton found Rainn damp, infested with flies and lying in a tall field of wet grass less than 1 mile from her home.

Chief Trumbull County Deputy Ernest Cook rightly labeled Sutton “a local hero.”

But like most true heroes, however, the neighbor of Rainn reacted with modesty, arguing that he was only one of hundreds who played a role in finding the precious toddler.

Today, reports indicate that Rainn is recuperating well and will remain in custody of her great-grandparents.

To be sure, the story of Rainn Peterson is one that will resonate in the Mahoning Valley for a long time to come. Indeed it should as it reinforces many valuable lessons about community, cooperation and the human spirit.

It illustrates that even in the face of adversity, skillful, coordinated leadership, a cohesive communitywide coalition of commitment and an unyielding desire to keep the faith can succeed in transforming potential tragedy into buoyant triumph.