An 85-year-old woman, Barbara Dee Crosby, went missing from Skyline Place, a senior living home in Sonora, Calif., around 10 a.m. Saturday. Deputies believe Crosby, who has dementia, left the home on foot with Poncho, her tan Chihuahua mix. A missing person alert was issued and a search-and-rescue effort involving the Sheriff's Office, local residents and the California Highway Patrol was launched. Crosby was sighted near East Bald Mountain Road. Reported sightings of Poncho around 9 p.m. led rescuers to a steep, densely vegetated area where Poncho was found under brush and Crosby was located asleep nearby and extracted by litter and rope. Crosby was taken to a hospital for assessment. Poncho ran off before being secured and may still be in the area; public assistance is requested to locate him.
"The department issued a missing person's alert with a description of Crosby and the outfit she was last seen in, according to a post on Instagram. A search-and-rescue team led by the Sheriff's Office alongside local residents and the California Highway Patrol was tasked with relocating her. On Sunday, Crosby was sighted near East Bald Mountain Road, a lengthy walk from the senior living home. The rescue team was planning a search operation for Monday when reported sightings of Poncho came flooding in around 9 p.m. Sunday. Rescue crews hiked down a 70-foot embankment to search the area. The team spotted Poncho under a clump of brush and found Crosby asleep on the ground nearby."
"We extend our heartfelt gratitude to everyone who supported the effort to locate Barbara. ... Your support played a vital role in bringing her home safely," the Sheriff's Office said in an Instagram post. "And a special thank you to Poncho, whose loyalty and presence near Barbara's location helped lead us to her - truly the unsung hero of this rescue."
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