Community Search Ends in Relief as Missing Woman Is Found
PROTECTED CONTENT
If you’re a current subscriber, log in below. If you would like to subscribe, please click the subscribe tab above.
Username and Password Help
Please enter your email and we will send you a password reset link.
By Jeff Snyder and Ken Garner
MOUNT AYR, Iowa — A potentially tragic situation had the best possible outcome when a missing woman was located in rural Ringgold County.
Cheryl Anderson, 78, was last seen leaving her residence in Cumming, Iowa in the late afternoon on March 3. Anderson, who has Alzheimer’s and has not driven a vehicle in several years, was seen traveling eastbound in a white Toyota Sienna toward Norwalk.
The vehicle was later observed in rural Ringgold County during the late night hours on March 4. The vehicle was subsequently found abandoned near the intersection of 200th Street and 265th Avenue in Liberty Township Section 26. Located at the vehicle were a single set of footprints going away from the Toyota.
Members of the Ringgold County Sheriff’s Department along with a bevy of first responders and concerned citizens mobilized after hearing of the missing Warren county woman and the efforts to locate her began in earnest.
An extensive search was launched and fanned out over several miles from the site her van was recovered in a ditch. Anderson was found on March 6 by members of the community.
“Anderson was located by a few of the numerous volunteers involved in the search approximately 1.5 miles from the van down in a three foot ditch,” Ringgold County Sheriff Rob Haley said.
According to Haley, she was very cold when she was found and was given immediate care by EMS members.
“It was a real team effort and we appreciated all that helped. We couldn’t have hoped for a better outcome.” Haley said.
Anderson was taken to Ringgold County Hospital where she was later transported to a hospital in Des Moines for continued treatment. The original plan was to transport her via air flight but inclement weather necessitated ground transport. The Mount Ayr Fire department EMBERS committee put out a heartfelt thank you to all the volunteers and area businesses that contributed food and refreshment for all the volunteers that helped conduct the search.
