ELDERLY RESCUE

On March 8, 2016 at 12:22 p.m. the Edwards County Sheriff's Office received a call from dispatch in regards to a missing 83 year lady. The missing individual was Luella "Lolly" Harding who lives alone on her ranch located on Hamilton Lane, Edwards County, TX. Sheriff Pamela Elliott immediately requested assistance from surrounding agencies due to the vast mountainous range of the ranch where "Lolly" resides. Sheriff Elliott and CPT Volkmann picked up K9 Nikko and proceeded to the location as she had dispatch initiate a call-out of all Edwards County off-duty deputies.

Upon Arrival, a Command Post was established by Sheriff Pamela Elliott and intelligence was gathered from a Ranch Hand. It was discovered that the last time anyone had contact with "Lolly" was Sunday evening (March 6, 2016) and her mail was never retrieved from the roadside mailbox on Monday as she usually did. It was learned that "Lolly" likes to walk her Ranch daily and has usual places that she visits about the ranch. "Lolly's" late husband requested his ashes be scattered from a mountaintop across from the ranch residence and another location where her and her deceased husband used to walk sit on a hilltop overlooking the ranch, which was a favorite place to go as a couple.

The U.S. Border Patrol immediately deployed their helicopter to assist in the search from the air, while Sheriff Elliott deployed K9 Nikko to search from the ground. K9 Nikko hit on a trail immediately headed towards the mountains across from the ranch and K9 Turbo with the Texas Game Warden's Search and Rescue team was also deployed and immediately hit on the same trail, which lead into a ravine. It was later learned that "Lolly" feeds feral cats down that trail which proved to be a false lead for the K9's. Another search team comprised USBP Agents, Rocksprings Edwards County Volunteer Fire Department, DPS Trooper, Edwards County State Game Warden and Edwards County Deputies and other citizen volunteers proceeded to search a hilltop behind the residence when "Lolly" was discovered lying under a hibiscus bush on the rock covered ground. Due to the heavy brush, "Lolly" was not overserved from the air by the helicopter.

Sheriff Elliott stated, "It was the most beautiful sound when we heard her speak. It was an isolated ranch with heavy brush, steep ravines, and mountainous areas with steep cliffs. We were very concerned for her health and safety after she had been missing for 2 days and we could not have prayed for a better outcome than to find her so quickly and with minor visible injuries." USBP agent Sam Arredondo provided lifesaving methods until EMS arrived to relieve the rescue teams. "Lolly" was life-flighted by AirEvac to University Hospital in San Antonio and upon the last update to the Edwards County Sheriff's Office, she was in ICU.