[slideshow_deploy id=’50374′]
Brunswick County Sheriff’s Office photos
A Columbus County woman was found unharmed Tuesday afternoon in a wooded area near her home in Nakina after being reported missing Monday.
Mary Jane Smith, 62, was reported missing by her husband late Monday afternoon, according to the Columbus County Sheriff’s Office. Smith, who has dementia, had apparently wandered away from her home on Manley Smith Road.
The search was unsuccessful Monday. On Tuesday, the Brunswick County Sheriff’s Office tracking and bloodhound teams along with the department’s helicopter joined the search. About 1 p.m., the helicopter team spotted Smith about 200 feet from where the tracking team was searching, the Sheriff’s Office said.
Officers found Smith, gave her a coat and some water and helped her out of the area. She was taken to Columbus Regional for evaluation, but had no apparent injuries.
“Combining resources with Brunswick County Sheriff’s Office maximized search and rescue efforts, ensuring that Mrs. Smith was located and returned safely to her family,” Columbus County Sheriff Lewis Hatcher said.
About Author
