A 72-year-old woman from Foxfire, who was the subject of a Silver Alert on Friday afternoon, has been found safe after an extensive eight-hour search.
Rescue parties scoured surrounding areas for hours before locating her. The woman was found off of Blue Bird Lane, less than a half-mile from her residence. Her dog, having stayed at her side, was found along with her.
The woman’s family initially noticed her absence around lunchtime, shortly before noon, prompting an immediate response from Foxfire police and surrounding units.
According to the initial report from authorities, the woman had reportedly “left on foot in an unknown direction of travel” and was believed to be “suffering from a cognitive impairment.”
As the search intensified, additional units were called in from Moore County Public Safety, N.C. Highway Patrol, and neighboring Richmond and Montgomery counties.
In addition to standard patrols and on-foot search parties, law enforcement utilized search dogs, drones, off-road vehicles, and a helicopter from N.C. Highway Patrol.
Search and rescue K-9s from Moore, Montgomery, and Richmond counties aided in the search by scouring streets and wooded areas, while drones and the helicopter surveilled the area from above.
When she was finally located in an area of forest and farmland, she was alert and was able to communicate with rescuers. Physically, she appeared to be in good and safe condition. EMS personnel were on scene to further evaluate her condition.
The woman was safely transported from the woods by the Sheriff’s Office using their new off-road Side-by-Side vehicle.
The Side-by-Side used to transport the woman
~Article by Sandhills Sentinel Copy Editor Abegail Murphy. Photos by Sandhills Sentinel Publisher B.J. Goodridge.
