A man went missing near the S.C. 5 bridge along the Catawba River, leading to a 19-day search before his body was found in a wild, steep brush area that was difficult to access. Horses are being utilized in the search efforts, with paramedics on the team to provide medical assistance if needed in remote areas.
The search team is made up of volunteers who are trained to find evidence or people, and will call in law enforcement or forensics as needed. The horses used in the search efforts are retired workhorses that are being trained to stay calm in stressful situations, such as loud sounds or sirens. The unit will be funded entirely by donations and will be kept in Union County, North Carolina.
The team includes volunteer members such as forensic criminologist Laura Pettler, who is proud to help with the search efforts. Other members include crime scene investigator Sheryl “Mac” McCollum, who has experience with crisis response teams for major events like the Atlanta Olympic Games bombing and the September 11th attacks at the Pentagon.
