An Indiana mother of two, who went missing after her home was engulfed in flames, has been discovered in the woods over a week following the ‘suspicious’ blaze.
Britney Gard, 46, was recovered from Hall Woods Nature Preserve, about two-and-a-half miles from her Bainbridge home, on Wednesday evening.
The Putnam County Sheriff’s Office reported that Gard reached out via 911 around 5:30 pm, seeking assistance in finding her way out of the densely forested area.
Once she was located, paramedics checked her out at the scene and then took her to an area hospital for further medical evaluation.
There are no individuals of interest in her missing person investigation, police said, but the case is still active.
Investigators have not disclosed her condition or how she ended up alone in the woods.
Relatives told investigators that the last time anyone had heard from her was on September 30 – a day before her residence mysteriously went ablaze.
Firefighters arrived at Gard’s home to find it overwhelmed by smoke. They promptly put out the fire, which was restricted to one section of the house.
Britney Gard (pictured), 46, was recovered from Hall Woods Nature Preserve, about two and a half miles from her Bainbridge home, on Wednesday evening
Gard (left) was supposed to attend her daughter’s volleyball game the night her house went on fire
Gard called 911 from within the Hall Woods Nature Preserve (pictured) for help finding her way out
Despite her purse being on the kitchen counter and her car parked outside, Gard was nowhere to be found. Investigators have labeled the fire as ‘suspicious in nature.’
Authorities noted the front door showed no signs of forced entry, but several personal belongings inside seemed rearranged or disturbed. The family’s two dogs were discovered unharmed in the backyard.
That night, Gard was supposed to be at her 13-year-old daughter’s volleyball game, but she never showed up.
‘[Her daughter] was at her dad’s. The night before the game, she talked to her mom, that evening,’ Gard’s brother-in-law Kenny Brown told WTHR.
‘[She was] expecting mom at the game. I don’t think Britney has missed a game in like, two years.’
Panic grasped the quiet town’s 700 residents, as well as Gard’s relatives. Her sisters immediately launched a Facebook page devoted to finding her.
Family and friends had also launched their own desperate search across the rolling cornfields and wooded areas surrounding Gard’s rural property.
‘It feels like there’s something bigger happening here that we’re unaware of, and someone knows more than they’re saying,’ Gard’s sister, Stephanie Bowen, shared with WRTV after her disappearance.
A local pizzeria, Pizza King, had even started delivering pizzas with Gard’s missing poster taped on them (pictured)
There are no individuals of interest in Gard’s (pictured) missing person investigation, police said, but the case is still active
A local pizzeria, Pizza King, had even started delivering pizzas with Gard’s missing poster taped on them.
Outside the charred remains of Gard’s home, a small cross and flowers were placed on the edge of the property.
When Gard was found, the ‘Find Britney Gard’ Facebook page was flooded with photos of the previously missing woman captioned with, ‘found alive.’
The Daily Mail has reached out to Gard’s family for comment.
