An elderly woman suffering from early-stage dementia went missing for a week then later found singing "Amazing Grace" in the woods.
In a Facebook post, Prince Edward County Sheriff Tony Epps announced that Aletha Gee Walton, a 69-year-old African-American, has been found alive after an eight-day search. He admitted that it was a challenging operation for them but was glad for the positive outcome. The Walton family extends their appreciation to those who contributed to the search and prayed for their family.
Deidra Knight, Walton's niece told WTKR News that she was glad that it was a "happy ending." She said her worries went astray after hearing the news that her aunt was okay and she was grateful for those people who helped in the search.
Walton was last seen at her home in the Simplicity area of Prince Edward County on May 15. After being discovered that she was missing, the search operation began on May 17, an evening after her family immediately reported it to authorities. Epps mentioned that nearly 70 responders supported them on the first day of the search.
Sandra Knight narrated that they'd found her sister sitting on a stump singing "Amazing Grace." She believed that God was with her the whole time. She said they were all breaking down and crying, thinking what if she had been kidnapped or if anything bad happened to her.
"There is a growing concern for her well-being due to the length of time she has been missing and the extreme heat this weekend," Epps said while asking people for information that would help them find the elderly woman.
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Community Help To Find Walton
According to Sheriff Epps, the elderly woman was located approximately 0.8 miles away from her home in a densely wooded pine forest through the combined efforts of numerous state agencies and all the ground and air support. Epps also enumerated all the teams who supported the county during the past week in his post.
When Walton was not yet found five days later, Epps called on the community to help them with the search. He said if all their resources were exhausted, they were calling for community volunteers. Many came to help them with the search, even a private aircraft owner and pilot. The authorities had also used K9 units for an extensive search.
So, when Walton was located, many people expressed their joy and thanked God for the success of the search operation. Piedmont Search and Rescue wrote in the comment that they're honored to be part of the "incredible teamwork involved in the mission." They also thanked the Prince Edward County Sheriff for the invitation.
Her friend Rita Allen thanked Jesus for the blessing. Allen noted that everybody can be at ease knowing that Walton was back safe. Walton's family and friends consider it a miracle.
"God is good all the time," Allen added.
Right after the search, Walton received an emergency medical assessment from Meherrin Volunteer Fire & Rescue then later transported to Centra Southside Community Hospital for further evaluation.
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