Latest news with #NancyBloomquist
USA Today
08-04-2025
- USA Today
A woman went missing for days after a casino trip. She was found alive once her car caught fire.
A woman went missing for days after a casino trip. She was found alive once her car caught fire. A 74-year-old woman, who went missing last week in Michigan after her car caught fire, was found alive several days later in a wooded area, having survived days of below freezing temperatures and rain. Nancy Bloomquist, 74, a resident of Norton Shores, was located by a drone shortly after 7:00 p.m. Sunday about 150 yards "from her vehicle in a heavily wooded area, lying next to a downed tree," after being missing for a few days, the Mason County Sheriff's Office said in a post on Facebook. The sheriff's office said she was "found alive and was talking with deputies at the scene." Authorities said Bloomquist went missing "under concerning circumstances" last Thursday as she was driving her 2024 GMC Terrain from Little River Casino presumably to Norton Shores, located on the eastern coast of Lake Michigan about 38 miles northwest of Grand Rapids. The Norton Shores Police Department, in a news release, said surveillance footage showed her leaving the casino around 5:30 p.m. and driving southbound on US-31 before she went missing. Watch: Drone locates missing Michigan woman Michigan woman missing for days found alive in woods A Michigan woman missing for days after a casino trip was located in a remote area by a drone. The sheriff's office said Bloomquist got lost on her way and "ended up on a long driveway of a seasonal home." As she attempted to find her way back and turned around, her "vehicle became disabled and caught fire." While Bloomquist was able to get out of the car safely, she forgot her phone in it and when she "attempted to return to the car, she became lost," the sheriff's office said. "A trail cam captured the vehicle driving in and the victim walking out," the sheriff's office said, adding "video evidence showed she did not return." Authorities said Bloomquist sought shelter from Thursday night's rain next to a downed tree and became "cold to the point that she could not get back to her feet Friday." She remained there on the ground until she was found on Sunday evening, the sheriff's office said. Between Thursday and Sunday, temperatures in Norton Shores dipped to almost 29 degrees with the area experiencing light snow and rain, according to AccuWeather. More news: 5 people injured after plane crashes into body of water at Oregon airport 'Just blind luck' The Mason County Sheriff's Office said it was alerted of the burned vehicle shortly before 2:00 p.m. Sunday after "it was reported the vehicle matched that of a reported missing person out of the Norton Shores Police Department." Mason County Sheriff Kim Cole told WZZM-TV the call about the burned vehicle came from the owner of the seasonal home who just happened to be visiting Sunday afternoon. "The person that owned the home, the seasonal home, they happen to come up Sunday afternoon," Cole told the media outlet. "They don't travel up here very often, it sounds like, so it's just blind luck that the homeowner happened to come up and found the car on their property." Multiple agencies including the Norton Shores Police Department and the Mason County Sheriff's Office drone unit, launched a search "around the vehicle and surrounding area" with the victim located by a drone shortly after 7:00 p.m. It is not yet known what caused the vehicle to become disabled and catch fire and the Norton Shores Police Department and Mason County Sheriff's Office did not immediately respond to USA TODAY's request for more information. Saman Shafiq is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at sshafiq@ and follow her on X and Instagram @saman_shafiq7.
Yahoo
08-04-2025
- Yahoo
Missing Michigan Woman, 74, Who Vanished After Casino Trip, Found Alive Stranded in the Woods 3 Days Later
A 74-year-old Michigan woman was found stranded in the woods three days after being reported missing, police have confirmed Nancy Bloomquist was last known to have visited Little River Casino in Manistee on Thursday, April 3, before her car was found burned on April 6, and she was discovered by police "in a heavily wooded area" later that evening 'She's incredibly, incredibly lucky she's still alive ... I don't know her but she's a tough gal,' Mason County Sheriff, Kim Cole, told a local media outlet A 74-year-old Michigan woman who was missing for three days has been found alive after vanishing following a trip to the casino, police have confirmed. On Sunday, April 6, Norton Shores Police Department put out a news release asking for the public's help in locating missing woman Nancy Bloomquist, who is a resident of the city. Police said that the elderly woman had been "reported missing under concerning circumstances" and was "last known to have traveled to the Little River Casino [in Manistee] on April 3." "Surveillance footage shows her leaving the casino at approximately 5:30 p.m. [local time] and driving southbound on US-31. She has not been seen or heard from since," police said in the post, adding that she was driving a white 2024 GMC Terrain. Related: Missing 76-Year-Old Woman with Dementia Found Alive After Spending 4 Days in Remote Part of Oregon On Monday, April 7, the Mason County Sheriff's Office confirmed in a news release shared on Facebook that the missing Norton Shores person had been found alive after officers had been "called to a reported burned vehicle south of Countyline Road and west of Morton Road, in Mason County's Grant Township" at around 1:57 p.m. that day. The post, which didn't name Bloomquist, continued, "At 7:08 p.m., the missing person was located by a drone roughly 150 yards from her vehicle in a heavily wooded area, lying next to a downed tree. It was confirmed this person was the missing person from Norton Shores Michigan. She was found alive and was talking with deputies at the scene." "It was learned through interviews, surveillance video, and a trail camera near a seasonal home, that the victim left the Little River Casino on Thursday, presumably, to return to Norton Shores," police added, stating that the woman "became lost and ended up on a long driveway of a seasonal home." "While attempting to get turned around the vehicle became disabled and caught fire. The victim left the vehicle, however, forgot her cell phone in the vehicle," police added, per the post. Related: Woman Who Disappeared in 1972 Found 'Safe and Well' Thanks to Grainy Photo, Police Say "When she attempted to return to the car, she became lost. A trail cam captured the vehicle driving in and the victim walking out. Video evidence showed she did not return," police continued. "She lay next to a downed tree, to seek shelter during the Thursday night rain. She became cold to the point that she could not get back to her feet Friday. She remained lying on the ground until found Sunday evening," officers added, sharing the release alongside video footage of the search and rescue mission. 'She's incredibly, incredibly lucky she's still alive ... I don't know her but she's a tough gal,' Mason County Sheriff, Kim Cole, told local media outlet WZZM's 13 On Your Side. Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. Cole told the outlet the distance from the casino to where Bloomquist was found was "probably 15 miles or so," stating that she had survived amid cold weather conditions. The outlet reported that Bloomquist's brother said his sister had hit her head after falling out of her bed the day before she went missing, so he believes the disappearance may be linked to her having a concussion. He said she didn't want to be treated at the hospital at the time, and wanted to go to the casino instead. The Mason County Sheriff's Office did not immediately respond when contacted by PEOPLE for additional information. Read the original article on People
Yahoo
08-04-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Michigan woman, 74, found alive in woods days after car caught fire while heading home
A 74-year-old Michigan woman reported missing last week was found alive Sunday in a wooded area after having survived days of freezing temperatures that left her unable to seek help. Authorities investigating a burned vehicle on a private road in Grant Township on Sunday afternoon called police after they recognized it as matching the description of one linked to a woman missing from the city of Norton Shores, authorities said. Authorities launched an aerial search using a drone and soon located the missing woman, whom the Norton Shores Police Department identified as local resident Nancy Bloomquist, about 150 yards from the SUV. She was last seen at the Little River Casino, about 95 miles north of Norton Shores, on Thursday a few hours before nightfall, the police department said in a statement. Police believe she was driving home in her 2024 GMC Terrain when she got lost on a private road and her vehicle became disabled. Overnight Thursday into Friday, the area was hit with rain and freezing temperatures. In the stretch between Thursday and Sunday, a front produced rain and light snow, and temperatures dipped below 22 degrees, according to National Weather Service data. The Mason County Sheriff's Office said on Facebook that Bloomquist fled the vehicle after it erupted in flames but tried to return because she had left her phone inside. Mason County Sheriff Kim C. Cole told WZZM-TV of Grand Rapids that the SUV may have ignited after its engine was exhausted in an effort to gain traction off-road in weather he described as life-threatening. Cole did not immediately respond to a request for more information. Bloomquist got lost as she was trying to return to her car and, amid the rain and debilitating cold, her body locked up, the sheriff's office said. She sought shelter next to a downed tree, where she apparently stayed for three days until she was discovered by a search team Sunday after a drone spotted her, the sheriff's office said in its statement. The sheriff's office said Bloomquist was conscious and spoke to arriving deputies. She was taken to a hospital and treated for exposure, WZZM reported. Norton Shores is on the eastern coast of Lake Michigan about 38 miles northwest of Grand Rapids. This article was originally published on
NBC News
08-04-2025
- NBC News
Michigan woman, 74, found alive in woods days after car caught fire while heading home
A 74-year-old Michigan woman reported missing last week was found alive Sunday in a wooded area after surviving days of freezing temperatures that left her unable to seek help. Authorities investigating a burned vehicle on a private road in Grant Township, Michigan, Sunday afternoon called police after recognizing it as matching the description of one linked to a woman missing from the city of Norton Shores, authorities said. Authorities launched an aerial search using a drone and soon located the missing woman, identified by the Norton Shores Police Department as local resident Nancy Bloomquist, about 150 yards from the SUV. She was last seen at the Little River Casino, about 95 miles north of Norton Shores, on Thursday a few hours before nightfall, the department said in a statement. Police believe she was driving home in her 2024 GMC Terrain when she became lost on a private road and her vehicle became disabled. Overnight Thursday into Friday, the area was hit with rain and freezing temperatures. In the stretch between Thursday and Sunday, a front produced rain and light snow, and temperatures dipped below 22 degrees, according to National Weather Service data. The Mason County Sheriff's Office said on Facebook that Bloomquist fled the vehicle after it erupted in flames, but tried to return because she left her phone inside. Mason County Sheriff Kim C. Cole told TV station WZZM the SUV may have ignited after its engine was exhausted in an effort to gain traction off-road in weather he described as life-threatening. Cole did not immediately respond to a request for more information. Bloomquist gor lost while trying to return to her car and, amid the rain and debilitating cold, her body locked up, the sheriff's office said. She sought shelter next to a downed tree, where she apparently stayed for three days until she was discovered by a search team Sunday after being spotted by a drone, the Mason County Sheriff's Office said its statement. The office said Bloomquist was conscious and spoke to arriving deputies. She was taken to a hospital and treated for exposure, WZZM reported. Norton Shores is located on the eastern coast of Lake Michigan. It is about 38 miles northwest of Grand Rapids.
Yahoo
06-04-2025
- Yahoo
Public asked to help locate Norton Shores woman last seen at Casino
NORTON SHORES, Mich. (WOOD) — The Norton Shores Police Department is asking the public for help locating a 74-year-old woman. It said Nancy Bloomquist is missing from her Norton Shores home under concerning circumstances. She was last known to have traveled to Little River Casino on April 3 and is seen on surveillance footage leaving the casino going southbound on US-131 around 5:30 p.m. She has not been seen or heard from since. Her family indicated this is 'highly unusual' behavior for Bloomquist, and they are concerned for her safety. Police say she is believed to be driving a white 2024 GMC Terrain with a Michigan license plate EJQ3184. Anyone with information is asked to contact Norton Shores Police Department at 231.733.2691 or Silent Observer at 231.722.7463 Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
