Be careful saving "roadrunners". Here is an article from News-Press.com from S.W. Florida.....

Heather Lowe says she's been called a baby killer.

That label is inaccurate, ugly and cruel. But tragedy inspires some folks to utter insults.

Emily Kent of North Fort Myers was 6 years old when she darted onto Old U.S. 41 to rescue a wayward turtle.

Driver education teachers tell you to leave yourself an out.

Yet, what if there's no time?

There was no way out for Emily and Heather that June 5 night near Littleton Road in North Fort Myers.

"I didn't see the little girl at all,'' Heather says. "I don't know if she bent over to get the turtle or just ran in front of me.''

Despite pleas from her mother to wait, Emily's heart overruled her regard for safety.

Emily only had eyes for the turtle. The selfless little animal lover was oblivious to traffic.

A sickening thud followed.

"It happened as quick as you can snap a finger,'' Heather says. "I stopped. I heard the little girl's mother screaming.''

Heather, 19, called her mom.

"She was screaming into her cell phone: 'I hit a kid. Oh, my Lord, I hit a kid,' '' says Debra Sheffield, 52. "She was so hysterical, I thought at first she said she hit a kitten.

"When I got out there, she was frozen to the steering wheel. I had to pry her little hands loose.''

Both families hoped and prayed for a miracle, but death didn't take a detour.

This is the kind of calamity that shakes your faith.

How could God or whoever is calling the shots  let a Toyota strike a wonderful child trying to save a turtle?

The sad story traveled worldwide and inspired acts of kindness toward Emily's family.

Repeated coverage of a death takes its toll. Even though Heather wasn't at fault, she becomes a second victim.

"I know that my saying 'I'm sorry' and 'I didn't mean to' is not going to bring this little girl back. I am overwhelmed with sadness for her parents.''

Heather says she wanted to express her sympathy to Emily's family, but a police officer advised against it.

Too soon, he told her.

That's a good call by the cop. A family reeling from this kind of fatality is in no condition to meet the unlucky driver.

No charges were filed, but Heather violated her learner's permit. She was cited for driving at night and driving without a licensed adult in the car.

Second victims sometimes feel a need to defend themselves.

"I'm not a baby killer,'' Heather says. "I don't like living with it, just like the little girl's family. But I believe that's how they look at me. It was a tragic accident, but I have feelings, too.

"I have to live with this the rest of my life.''

She's trying to deal with her despair without counseling, but says if that doesn't work she will seek professional help.

The torment of this tragedy won't go away for either family.

They can't explain it no matter how many times they replay it: A girl dashes to the aid of a turtle and ends up dead.

How do you explain it?

It is the most unjust accident in Lee County history.

Culebra: What a "heavy" story! I'll be careful.

Back to the point.
Does anyone have any ideas on Mary's questions. I don't

I have had some sort of close calls rescuing reptiles and amphibians. Trying to wrangle a snake off a busy US highway at night can be risky, but damn I hate to see snakes and turtles get hit and I will try to stop it from happening if I can (within reason).

What is causing the decline of the Eastern Box Turtle??

1. taking them from the wild for pets...shortens their lives.

2. over-collecting for the pet trade

3. getting run over by cars

4.getting crushed by large mowers in fields and roadsides

I can give you another one to add to that list, Arbee. Collecting them from the wild to sell for turtle soup!! I happen to visit relatives in a rural area, and a number of years ago a fellow in the area was offering $1.00 apiece to neighborhood kids (and others) for Box Turtles. I asked a young person what he did with them, and they said he took them about 100 miles east of the location, and sold them (for $2.00 apiece, supposedly) to a company that made turtle soup. I have heard of a market in Snapping Turtles, that are sold to make turtle soup, but never had I dreamed that a company would buy Box Turtles to throw into the soup pot (although this WAS about 20 years ago). Although no one has addressed the possibility of what occurred to the 6 or 7 Box Turtles I saw, in seemingly perfect condition, dead, within a small area where timber had been cut, I originally assumed that possibly oil from the heavy equipment contaminated some of their food supply, or something similar. I also guessed there may be some sort of disease, or internal parasite that had done them in. I've spent MUCH time in the woods and fields in my life, and never had I come across such a number of (deceased) Box Turtle shells, in such a small area, seemingly in perfect condition (externally).

I found a large number of box turtle shells (20+) scattered about in an area of a couple hundred feet square. It looked like a box turtle graveyard. Most had been there awhile, but several had recently died. It was in an area where there was no disturbance, well shaded, damp, and you could find spring peepers on foliage in the middle of the summer. These box turtles did not appear to have any damage either, and were several hundred yards from the nearest road. This area is now part of Truman Lake in Missouri.