Anchor saves ducklings from storm drain

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) - WISH-TV received numerous calls Saturday morning from people reporting a mother duck in distress.

24-Hour News 8 learned her 11 ducklings were trapped in a storm drain in the Target parking lot off Southport Road and Emerson Avenue on the Indianapolis' south side. We went to investigate and found out that the Indianapolis fire and police departments weren’t coming to the rescue, and animal control wasn’t either, so 24-Hour News 8 Anchor Daniel Miller stepped in to help.

The 11 ducklings were in a storm drain calling out for help.

Knowing that firefighters and police officers were not coming to their rescue, Miller said he had no choice but to step in. He opened the grate and jumped down into the sewer with the ducklings.

Nearby, the mother duck was quacking.

People also started to watch. Some even showed up to see what was going on, including a Speedway Police officer. That officer gave Miller the only glove he had in his patrol car.

"We're going to go down here and see what we can do," Miller said, "I've never done this before."

An onlooker provided Miller with a blue tote bag. All but one of the baby ducks were gathered into the bag and lifted up to the parking lot level with their mother.

Miller gently released the ducklings onto the pavement. They ran quickly to their mother.

It took four more attempts before Miller was able to grab the final duckling, which ran deeper into the sewer.

It was an uneventful reunion.

A group of people gathered to see the ducklings reunited with their mother. Some of them watched and even helped make sure they were guided to safety to a nearby pond.