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A Florida woman was found alive less than 72 hours after she went missing in Allendale County.
Jessica Rapsys, a 27-year-old woman from Jacksonville, Florida, went missing in Allendale on Tuesday, August 13 around 7:30-8:00 p.m. She was found alive and well on Friday, August 16.
The search for Rapsys included the Allendale County Sheriff's Office, the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED), the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, the Department of Energy Savannah River Site Security Services and the owners of Creek Plantation, where Rapsys was found, according to a SLED statement. The search involved dozens of volunteers, bloodhounds and the use of helicopters.
Allendale County Sheriff James Freeman said Rapsys’ car was found stuck on the train tracks along Route 125 near Martin.
“When the bloodhounds were put on the ground, her cell phone and a pair of her shoes were located about 150 to 200 yards from the car,” Freeman said. “We tracked all night long until the dogs wore out.”
Rapsys was found on Friday morning.
“A gentleman contacted us who was doing some work on a house on Creek Plantation,” Freeman said. “The young lady had walked out of the woods and he could tell that she was all scratched up and everything so he called 911 to find out if we had anybody missing.”
After that, Freeman said, Rapsys was taken to the hospital in good condition, aside from bug bites and scratches. Freeman said additional information about Rapsys’ case will be released soon.
During the search, a self-described neighbor named Donald McBride started a GoFundMe which “aims to cover expenses associated with the search.” By the time Rapsys was found, the GoFundMe had raised $18,030 from dozens of donors.
The GoFundMe has since been disabled; “I am trying to stop donations now. … Control of this fundraiser will be transferred to the Rapsys family when they are ready and then they can designate their bank account.”
Renée Wunderlich, Director of Public Information at SLED, said the agency could not provide information beyond what was included in their press release.
“The Rapsys family would like to extend their deepest thanks to everyone who helped find Jessica, and respectfully ask for privacy at this time,” the statement said.
Elijah de Castro is a Report for America corps member who writes about rural communities like Allendale and Barnwell counties for The People-Sentinel. Your donation to match our RFA grant helps keep Elijah writing stories like this one; please consider making a tax-deductible gift of any amount today.
