Missing Columbus County woman found

NAKINA, NC (WWAY) —  A missing Columbus County woman has been found thanks to the help of the Brunswick County Sheriff’s Office.

Mary Jane Smith’s husband reported her missing Monday. Smith was last seen at her home on Manley Smith Road in Nakina around 1:40 p.m. Smith has dementia and wandered away from her home.

A Silver Alert was issued for Smith, and a command post was established at Happy Home Baptist Church in Nakina.  The Columbus County Sheriff’s Office along with Columbus County Emergency Management interviewed citizens in the community for additional information to assist in locating Smith.  Nearby abandoned properties were also searched for her.

Around 9 a.m. Tuesday, the Columbus County Sheriff’s Office contacted the Brunswick County Sheriff’s Office to help find Smith.

The Brunswick County Sheriff’s Office sent its Tracking and Bloodhound Teams and began searching the area around Smith’s home around 11 a.m. The Brunswick County Sheriff’s Office helicopter later deployed. The Brunswick County Sheriff’s Office Tracking Team was able to establish a track that they believed Smith traveled, in a large wooded area behind the residence.

The helicopter team searched the area just ahead of the tracking team. At around 1 p.m., the helicopter team spotted Smith approximately 200 feet down the track in the direction where the tracking team was headed. The tracking team approached Smith, gave her a coat and some water and helped her out of the area. EMS took Smith to a hospital for evaluation. She had no apparent serious injuries.