Missing woman found safe on banks of river

By Charmaine Smith
Anderson Independent-Mail
9/10/2002

An 81-year-old Piedmont woman who was reported missing by her son Sunday afternoon was found Monday along the banks of the Reedy River about a mile from home.

Elizabeth Jackson was reported missing by her son, Claude Jackson, around 4 p.m. Sunday. With the aide of neighbors and rescue workers, she was found safe and sound on the banks of the Saluda River early Monday afternoon, Ms. Jackson's niece Ester Jackson said.

She said family members saw Ms. Jackson walk away from her son's house on Barclay Drive around 1 p.m. Sunday and thought she was going to her home, which sits on the same property.

"She always walks down to her house," the younger Ms. Jackson said. "But this time was different. She's never done this before."

The younger Ms. Jackson said the family could only guess that the elder Ms. Jackson, who has been sick for the last couple of days, became disoriented as she walked to her home and then wandered off.

Rescue workers with the Anderson County Sheriff's Office and the Anderson city and county firefighters scoured the area around Barclay Drive with canines and a helicopter into the late evening hours Sunday and were back out at daybreak Monday, a police report said.

Ms. Jackson said her aunt was taken to the Anderson Area Medical Center for treatment of dehydration.