Almon, Baylee (1994–1995)

American child killed in the Oklahoma City terrorist bombing. Born in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, onApril 18, 1994; killed in Oklahoma City on April 19, 1995; daughter of Aren Almon (who married Stan Kok in 1997 and gave birth to a daughter, Bella Almon Kok, in 1998).

On Wednesday, April 19, 1995, one day after the celebration of her first birthday, Baylee Almon became a painful symbol of the 17 children and 165 adults killed in the bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, as a result of a terrorist attack by right-wing extremist Timothy McVeigh.

Less than 30 minutes after the 9:04 am explosion of a 5,000-ton bomb directly in front of the building's America's Kids day-care center, Oklahoma City police sergeant John Avera eased himself through a window of the second floor into the wreckage of the day-care facility. Under two inches of rubble, he found Baylee Almon. Avera dug the baby free and raced out of the building. From across the street, amateur photographer Charles H. Porter IV captured the moment with a zoom lens as the infant was handed to Oklahoma City firefighter Chris Fields who checked for a pulse.

That day two photos were downloaded from the Associated Press into newsrooms around the world: the first was of the infant, covered with insulation and dust, being rushed by a policeman into the waiting arms of Fields; the second was of Fields cradling the body, his right elbow uplifted, as he gazed down at the lifeless child. The following day, a third photograph appeared worldwide: a dimpled 10-month-old Baylee in pink headband and Minnie Mouse overalls, laughing for the camera. Through these pictures, Baylee Almon became a symbol, noted Time, "of catastrophe all over the world." When photographer Porter was asked: "What do you think when you see your name below the photo on the cover of Newsweek?," he replied, "I don't see my name, I see the baby."

sources:

Gibbs, Nancy. "The Blood of Innocents," in Time. May 1, 1995, pp. 56–64.

"Tiny Symbol of Life and Death," in People Weekly. May 8, 1995, p. 56.

"Why the Children?" in Newsweek. May 1, 1995, pp. 48–54.