Family stranded for hours after GPS leads them into NH woods Share Shares Copy Link Copy

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DOWN WITH THEM TODAY REPORTER: FORTUNATELY, THE CAR IS BRAND NEW. UNFORTUNATELY, MOM WASN’T THERE TO NAVIGATE. >> IF MY WIFE WAS THERE SHE SHOULDN’T HAVE ALLOWED ME TO CONTINUE THIS KIND OF ROAD . REPORTER: DATTU ADMITS IT WASN’T HIS FINEST HOUR. THE BURLINGTON FATHER LEFT BRETTON WOODS WITH HIS 3 SONS, THEIR COUSINS AND BROTHER-IN-LAW SATURDAY EVENING. THEY WERE TRYING TO MAKE THE 45-MINUTE JOURNEY BACK TO THEIR HOTEL IN THE FAMILY MINIVAN USING WHAT THEY THOUGHT WA RELIABLE GPS. >> THE GATE WAS OPEN AND WE THOUGHT IT MIGHT BE A SHORT DISTANCE SO LET’S TRY IT OUT. REPORTER YOU THOUGHT IT MIGHT BE A SHORTCUT? >> YES. REPORTER: IT TOOK DATTU 2 AND HALF MILES TO REALIZE IT WAS NOT. IT WAS A SNOWMOBILE TRAIL. >> WE COULDN’T FIND ANY STABLE GROUND TO MAKE A U-TURN. IT WAS DRIVE IN THE REVERSE OR KEEP DRIVING STRAIGHT. REPORTER: THEY’LL ADMIT THAT AT THIS POINT, THERE WERE NERVES, AND THEN, THE CAR FELL INTO A DITCH. WITH NO CELL SERVICE, THEIR ONLY HOPE WAS THE SOS BUTTON ACTIVE BECAUSE THE CAR IS BRAND NEW. >> WE ASKED THEM WE NEEDED ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE. REPORTER: IT WOULD BE HOURS BEFORE A TOW TRUCK REACHED THEM, AND HOURS MORE BEFORE THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WITH A SNOWMOBILE. BY 2:00 A.M. ALL 7 MEMBERS OF THIS STRANDED FAMILY REACHED THE MAIN ROAD FROM WHICH THEIR VENTURED OFF. WHEN HE WOKE THE NEXT MORNING, DATTU’S GREATEST CONCERN WAS INFORMING HIS WIFE. >> WHAT LESSON YOU LEARNED? >> DON’T TRUST YOU. REPORTER: THIS FAMILY IS FOREVER INDEBTED AND GRATEFUL FOR THE TOW TRUCK AND FIRST RESPONDERS AND YES, THEY WILL BE BACK TO BRETTON WOODS

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