A North Carolina woman was surprisingly located alive, nine months after going missing. Her car had been found abandoned near Death Valley National Park in California.
The Inho County Sheriff’s Office expressed relief, announcing that Kelsey Pittman is safe in Colorado. They shared this update on social media.
Details surrounding her disappearance and the months she spent across three states remain unclear. Authorities did not divulge much about where she was or what occurred during that time.
For the sake of her privacy and that of her family, authorities mentioned they wouldn’t release further details.
Pittman’s family reported her missing in November 2024 when she was 33 years old. She reached out to law enforcement in Utah in May, leading to her recent discovery.
The search for Pittman began after her vehicle, a 2009 Chevrolet HHR, was found off Highway 190 on February 9, 2025. The remote area, known as “Slab City,” is outside park boundaries and is typically used by campers during winter.
Despite the extensive searches conducted by deputies and the Death Valley National Park Service, authorities found no additional evidence related to her disappearance.
Upon discovery of the vehicle, deputies confirmed it belonged to Pittman, yet a thorough investigation of the surroundings yielded no traces of her. This prompted a large-scale missing persons investigation.
From February to June 2025, various teams, including drone operators and search and rescue volunteers, looked for Pittman, but their efforts were unfruitful until the recent news surfaced.
Pittman is among several individuals who have recently been found living after being missing for extended periods.
For instance, hiker Tiffany Slaton was located in May 2025, three weeks after disappearing in California’s East Sierra Nevada Mountains. She survived a blizzard by taking shelter in an unlocked cabin at a closed resort, and managed to eat leeks until the owner of the resort discovered her and provided food.
