Missing Twiggs County woman found deceased after day-long search

A woman missing from Twiggs County has been found dead, officials said.

Vickie Miskimen, 73, went missing around 9 p.m. last Wednesday on Long Street Road in Cochran. When family tried to visit Miskimen at her home the following morning, she was nowhere to be found. 

According to officials, Miskimen suffered from dementia.

The Twiggs County Sheriff’s Office began a search, putting out her missing poster on social media and sending teams to search the area. 

Several local law enforcement agencies assisted in the search of the area both on foot and with drones, including the Georgia State Patrol, Georgia Bureau of Investigation, Gray Police Department, Bleckley County Sheriff’s Office, and the Department of Natural Resources. 

In addition to police, Chief Deputy Buddy Long said that at least 75 members of the public including Miskimen’s family helped to comb the area. 

The search continued for a day until investigators ultimately made the discovery. Miskimen was found in a pond near her home Friday morning.

Officials shared they’re unsure why Miskimen decided to leave her home and travel to the pond, but said she might have been out looking for her dog. 

The sheriff’s office made the announcement shortly after in a post on social media. In the post, they offered their condolences and thanked the partnering agencies, volunteers and community members for their support throughout the search.