Deputies, volunteers help find baby kangaroo

YATES COUNTY--The Yates County Sheriff's text message system, Nixle, alerts residents to all types of information. This can be power outages, winter weather conditions or on Saturday, March 13, a two-foot-tall kangaroo that had escaped its handler.
Local photographer Craig Nelson saw the news, as did many others, and responded to the location area of Williams Hill and Coates Road on the west side of the Penn Yan branch of Keuka Lake.
"Many people came Saturday afternoon and evening to help search the area in hopes of catching the kangaroo (named Kaia) and getting her home safely," said Nelson. "Unfortunately, they did not find her on Saturday, meaning Kaia spent a New York's winter night in the woods above Keuka Lake. Everyone was praying that she would survive the night."
The sheriff's report states the owner of the kangaroo is Stokoe Farms of Scottsville, New York and it was reported missing at approximately noon on Saturday.
Nelson reports on Sunday morning, around 10:10 a.m., Kaia was spotted by Jason Tietjen in the woods between Coates Road and County House Woods Road, and he stayed with her until help arrived.
Sheriff's Deputy Scott Walker and Sargent Chad Daggett arrived at the location with volunteers to build a perimeter around Kaia so she could not escape. Several with blankets closed in on the baby kangaroo and Deputy Walker made the safe capture with a blanket and secured its legs. He then handed her off to Suzanne Stokoe who placed her safely in her pouch.
"There are no words to describe how eternally grateful we are to all who helped us capture baby roo Kaia," Stokoe Farms said in a Facebook post. "Yates County Deputy Walker, the community of Penn Yan and Jerusalem, and the innumerable prayers send to us. We have been so amazingly blessed. Kaia was hungry and tired but is safely home. We are humbled by you all. Thank you."
Sheriff Ron Spike said, "The sheriff's office thanks the approximately 40 to 50 volunteers assisting in the lost area vicinity, the forming a circle during capture, as well as all the calls received."
Spike concluded by saying this was not the normal 911 missing person call.