After missing grandma is found dead in Sinkhole, police reveal new details

• Elizabeth Pollard, 64, of Unity Township, Pennsylvania, fell into a sinkhole on Monday evening, December 2nd
• Officials confirmed that her body was found on Friday, December 6, approximately “30 feet below the surface of where the mine would have been located.”
• “Our hearts hurt for what you are going through and for the messages we had to deliver,” Pennsylvania State Police Trooper Steve Limani said in a message to Pollard’s family at a news conference

Authorities are sharing more details about what may have happened to a missing grandmother who fell into a hole in the ground earlier this week and was found dead after a several-day search.

At an afternoon news conference on Friday, December 6, Pennsylvania State Police Trooper Steve Limani said the body of 64-year-old Elizabeth Pollard was found earlier that day at approximately 11:05 a.m. local time.

“While we were removing the dirt and searching through things, we found Elizabeth,” Limani told reporters. “We found them about 30 feet below the surface of where the mine would have been. It was located approximately 12 feet southwest of the location of the original sinkhole.”

Marguerite Fire Chief Scot Graham, the incident commander, noted that crews used machinery to remove Pollard’s body from the hole because “it wasn’t safe to send anyone down.”

According to Limani, Pollard’s body is currently in the coroner’s office. An autopsy will determine her cause of death.

Pollard was first reported missing by a relative in the early morning hours of Tuesday, Dec. 3, after she disappeared while searching for her missing cat, authorities previously said. The Unity Township woman set off in her car hours earlier, along with her five-year-old granddaughter, who was later found safe and asleep in her vehicle.

About 36 hours after Pollard was first reported missing, authorities changed direction in search and rescue efforts, citing safety concerns — and on Wednesday, Dec. 4, Limani said the search was continuing despite the mine’s fragile condition The rescue operation has led to a change in rescue operations.

“The condition of the mine where we worked has changed our possible outlook on the likely direction of our investigation,” he said at the time.

At the Dec. 6 news conference, Limani said that authorities currently believe that as the mine deteriorated and the sinkhole formed, a mound was created that he described was shaped like a Hershey’s kiss.

“The best we could figure out right now,” Limani explained, “because obviously we don’t have the autopsy back… (is) when she fell through the shaft and she landed and hit that hill – (then) it appeared that as if she…”rolled or moved about 12 feet from where our original spot was.”

That made it difficult for searchers to find her, he added, “because we knew she would probably reach the top (of that hill) and where she would go from there, the difficulty would be how gravity would change.” impacted their location.”

Accordingly The New York Times, Limani said there was no sign of the cat.

He addressed the community’s concerns about the sinkhole, adding that authorities are currently working to pour back the dirt by applying grout and shoring up the entire area.

The recovery of Pollard’s body has brought some closure to her loved ones.

“I couldn’t have been happier for the family that we were able to find her because that was the only thing they were worried about,” Limani said during the press conference, sharing that her family “wants to do the right thing if.” “The time has come.” come to her (remember her) and take a look around.”

“We mourn your loss,” he continued, addressing Pollard’s family. “Our hearts hurt for what you are going through and for the messages we had to deliver, so please accept our condolences.”

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“I’m glad they found her, but not in the condition we were hoping for,” said Pollard’s son, Axel Hayes Just. “We were hoping that maybe she had fallen and hit her head and maybe she was unconscious or in a coma and that it wouldn’t come to that.”

In a message to PEOPLE before her body was found, Hayes said that while they were “still holding out hope,” they had prepared “for the worst.”

He added: “All I can say is that I appreciate everyone’s hard work and efforts in finding my mother.”