Missing Fla. Woman Spends Days in Car Trunk, Survives
NEW SMYRNA BEACH, Fla. --
A missing 76-year-old woman from New Smyrna Beach was found alive inside the trunk of her own car.
Investigators with the New Smyrna Beach Police Department said they do not suspect foul play.
Police had checked with Bert Fish Medical Center right after Mary Mitchell, 76, disappeared, but a persistent officer decided to check again Tuesday and spotted the missing vehicle in a remote parking lot and made a surprising discovery in the truck.
"She did not know who she was. She was really thankful that she was found alive," New Smyrna Beach Lt. Mike Brouillette said.
It's not known why Mitchell decided to get in the trunk of her own car. She had a trunk key with her, and there was an emergency release, but investigators said they think she spent four days without food or water.
"As soon as they opened the trunk, her hand came up, and they knew that she was alive, and she said, 'Oh my God, I've been here forever,'" Brouillette said.
Neighbors on Bouchelle Island, where Mitchell lives, had reported her missing. They said she seemed despondent and talked about driving to Ohio to see her daughter, but instead, during those long days and nights, she wasn't more than a half mile away.
"Three or four days is pushing it. It's really pushing it," Dr. Jay Taylor said.
Taylor said it would be difficult for an able-bodied person to survive that long much less an 80-pound senior citizen, particularly under the Florida sun. Luckily, it wasn't summer, and the car was shaded by a big tree.
But Mitchell isn't out of the woods yet and is receiving critical care.
"There are problems that may develop with dehydration, kidney problems, you can get pretty severely ill," Taylor said. "However, you can survive that."
Mitchell had apparently been estranged from her family, but they've been notified of the situation.
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