Photo: Fresno County Sheriff's Office
A 27-year-old woman, Tiffany Slaton from Jeffersonville, Georgia, was found alive after being missing for over two weeks in the California mountains. Slaton was discovered in a cabin at the Vermilion Valley Resort near Lake Edison in the Sierra Nevada mountain range. The Fresno County Sheriff's Office announced her rescue on Wednesday (May 14).
Christopher Gutierrez, the resort's owner, found Slaton after snowplows cleared the road, allowing him to access and open his property for the summer. Gutierrez had left his cabin unlocked for emergencies, a decision that proved crucial for Slaton's survival. Upon finding her, Gutierrez recognized Slaton from her missing persons report. "She pops out, didn’t say a word, just ran up, and all she wanted was a hug," Gutierrez said at a press conference.
Slaton's parents reported her missing on April 29, after not hearing from her for nine days. She was last seen at a general convenience store on April 24. The sheriff's office conducted a large-scale search operation from May 6 to May 10, covering 600 square miles with helicopter assistance.
Slaton was found dehydrated but in good condition and was taken to a nearby hospital for observation. Her father expressed immense relief and joy upon hearing the news, stating, "This has to be the third or fourth best day of our lives after our children’s birth." When Slaton first spoke to her father, she reassured him by saying, "Dad, I'm alive, and I'm sorry."