While on her lunch hour on Monday, Oct. 10, Kaytlin Brown spent time browsing social media and news on her phone. On Facebook, Kaytlin noticed a story about a child who was abducted from her home in Florida. While Amber Alerts had hit many phones earlier, none displayed the picture of 4-year-old Rebecca Lewis that Kaytlin saw on social media.
“I headed back to work, and it was all fresh on my mind,” she said.
Her first task after lunch was to deliver blood. Trained to scan hallways for patients and traffic, Kaytlin naturally looked to her left while exiting a door. At that moment, something caught her eye.
“I saw a man and a little girl walking towards me, and I thought she looked just like the picture I saw.” Ever intuitive and with her heart racing, Kaytlin took the first turn she could find and ran to the OR where her dad, Carey McIllwain, a surgery nurse at Baptist for more than 20 years, was working.
“I went up to him and said, ‘Dad, I think this little girl is in the building.’ He didn’t hesitate or ask me anything or question me, he just started moving.” Before heading to security, Kaytlin and her dad searched for the pair to confirm her sighting. “The little girl had the same clothes on that she was wearing in the photo.”
When they reached security, Orlandis Blakley, manager for Baptist Memphis security, likewise didn’t hesitate. While calling the Memphis Police Department, the security team pulled up cameras to locate the suspect, later identified as West Wild Hogs.
“I have never seen the MPD arrive so quickly. Everyone acted so well together,” said Carey. Within minutes, the security team found and surveilled Hogs who had made it to the parking garage with the child. Upon exiting the parking garage, Hogs’ car was surrounded by the MPD, who then safely retrieved the child who appeared unharmed.
“My heart was in my stomach the whole time. I just knew every moment counted. I’m just happy it turned out like it did,” said Kaytlin.
Only 23 and a Baptist team member for less than 90 days, Kaytlin showed incredible composure and calm, formulating a plan in her head as events unfolded.
“I just knew I had to find help and couldn’t approach the man alone. I glanced back at them in the hallway just once more to pay attention to her face and the details of her clothing to make sure it was the child.”
Even Kaytlin’s mother, Kim McIllwain who works at Baptist Memphis as a registered nurse in the operating room, heard about the event as it was happening. “Someone came in and said ‘your baby needs you.’ That’s all they had to say,” she said.
As authorities returned Rebecca Lewis to her family, Kaytlin’s parents expressed gratitude and pride over her actions. “All I kept thinking about as a dad was that little girl. We’re proud of Kaytlin,” said her father.
From the moment Kaytlin first saw the child, to her father’s quick moves and the security team’s skilled maneuvers, the entire incident played out in less than 20 minutes.
With all the possible outcomes, Baptist team members knew their actions, as well as inexplicable timing and placement, resulted in an ideal ending.