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A 74-year-old Michigan woman was found stranded in the woods three days after being reported missing, police have confirmed
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Nancy Bloomquist was last known to have visited Little River Casino in Manistee on Thursday, April 3, before her car was found burned on April 6, and she was discovered by police “in a heavily wooded area” later that evening
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“She’s incredibly, incredibly lucky she’s still alive … I don’t know her but she’s a tough gal,” Mason County Sheriff, Kim Cole, told a local media outlet
A 74-year-old Michigan woman who was missing for three days has been found alive after vanishing following a trip to the casino, police have confirmed.
On Sunday, April 6, Norton Shores Police Department put out a news release asking for the public’s help in locating missing woman Nancy Bloomquist, who is a resident of the city.
Police said that the elderly woman had been “reported missing under concerning circumstances” and was “last known to have traveled to the Little River Casino [in Manistee] on April 3.”
“Surveillance footage shows her leaving the casino at approximately 5:30 p.m. [local time] and driving southbound on US-31. She has not been seen or heard from since,” police said in the post, adding that she was driving a white 2024 GMC Terrain.
Andre Jenny/Alamy Stock Photo
The Little River Casino in Michigan
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On Monday, April 7, the Mason County Sheriff’s Office confirmed in a news release shared on Facebook that the missing Norton Shores person had been found alive after officers had been “called to a reported burned vehicle south of Countyline Road and west of Morton Road, in Mason County’s Grant Township” at around 1:57 p.m. that day.
The post, which didn’t name Bloomquist, continued, “At 7:08 p.m., the missing person was located by a drone roughly 150 yards from her vehicle in a heavily wooded area, lying next to a downed tree. It was confirmed this person was the missing person from Norton Shores Michigan. She was found alive and was talking with deputies at the scene.”
“It was learned through interviews, surveillance video, and a trail camera near a seasonal home, that the victim left the Little River Casino on Thursday, presumably, to return to Norton Shores,” police added, stating that the woman “became lost and ended up on a long driveway of a seasonal home.”
“While attempting to get turned around the vehicle became disabled and caught fire. The victim left the vehicle, however, forgot her cell phone in the vehicle,” police added, per the post.
Mason County MI Sheriff’s Office/Facebook
A Mason County Sheriff’s Office patrol vehicle
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“When she attempted to return to the car, she became lost. A trail cam captured the vehicle driving in and the victim walking out. Video evidence showed she did not return,” police continued.
“She lay next to a downed tree, to seek shelter during the Thursday night rain. She became cold to the point that she could not get back to her feet Friday. She remained lying on the ground until found Sunday evening,” officers added, sharing the release alongside video footage of the search and rescue mission.
“She’s incredibly, incredibly lucky she’s still alive … I don’t know her but she’s a tough gal,” Mason County Sheriff, Kim Cole, told local media outlet WZZM’s 13 On Your Side.
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Cole told the outlet the distance from the casino to where Bloomquist was found was “probably 15 miles or so,” stating that she had survived amid cold weather conditions.
The outlet reported that Bloomquist’s brother said his sister had hit her head after falling out of her bed the day before she went missing, so he believes the disappearance may be linked to her having a concussion. He said she didn’t want to be treated at the hospital at the time, and wanted to go to the casino instead.
The Mason County Sheriff’s Office did not immediately respond when contacted by PEOPLE for additional information.
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