A woman who disappeared without a trace in one of the harshest environments in the United States has been found alive almost nine months after her disappearance.
Kelsey Pittman, 33, from North Carolina, vanished in late 2024, only for authorities to reveal this week that she has been found safe in Colorado.
Her survival remains as baffling as it is miraculous, and authorities have stated that no further information about the case will be released.
Her abandoned car set off an extensive search through the desert
Image credits: onslowcountync
The saga of Kelsey’s discovery began in February 2025, when her Chevrolet HHR was spotted by a tipster on a remote patch of private land near the boundary of Death Valley National Park.
The area, nicknamed “The Pads” or “Slab City” and located just off Highway 190, is frequented by campers and desert dwellers.
Police found no sign of Pittman when they arrived at the location where her vehicle was parked, according to a report from the Daily Mail.
Image credits: Freepik/wirestock
Still, the discovery triggered a full-scale missing persons investigation that spanned several months and multiple states.
The search for Kelsey pulled in local authorities, national park rangers, drone teams, cadaver dogs, and volunteer rescue workers.
Drones scoured the area from the sky while K-9 units combed the rugged terrain below. Despite their efforts, no physical evidence linked to Kelsey’s whereabouts was uncovered.
Image credits: Inyo County Sheriff’s Office
Investigators noted that at first, they had to confirm if Kelsey had really been reported as missing, according to the San Francisco Gate.
Police ran her license plate multiple times over the course of several weeks while attempting to confirm her status.
It wasn’t until police contacted her mother that her disappearance was formally registered. At the time, Kelsey had already been missing for months.
She vanished after making contact with police, then reappeared in another state
Pittman had reportedly spoken with law enforcement in Utah back in November 2024. This was her last known sighting before she seemingly vanished into thin air.
Authorities would later confirm she had been known to visit the Las Vegas area, which only deepened the mystery surrounding her disappearance.
Her family grew increasingly worried as months passed with no updates, and her mother even traveled across the country to aid in the early stages of the search.
Image credits: KBB
Citing information from Kelsey’s mother, officials from the Inyo County Sheriff’s Office stated earlier this month that she may be using the aliases “Infinity Jane” and “Jane Jones.”
At the time, authorities noted that they were following up on multiple leads to find Kelsey, though she was still proving elusive.
Then, in a recent update, the Sheriff’s Office issued a brief press release announcing that Kelsey had been found, and she is alive.
Image credits: Inyo County Sheriff’s Office
“Inyo County Sheriff’s Office officials report that they are relieved to announce that Kelsey Pittman has been located alive in the state of Colorado.
“Pittman, a North Carolina resident, was reported missing by her family after losing contact in November 2024,” the Sheriff’s Office wrote in its press release.
They declined to provide any additional context on how Kelsey was found, saying only that no further information would be shared.
Image credits: Inyo County Sheriff’s Office
“Out of respect for her privacy and that of her family, no further details will be released,” the press release read.
The Inyo County Sheriff’s Office also thanked everyone who contributed to Kelsey’s search.
“We thank our ICSO investigative team, along with the many law enforcement partners, search and rescue volunteers, and community members who assisted in this case and helped share information,” the Sheriff’s Office noted.
Image credits: Inyo County Sheriff’s Office
Netizens expressed frustration at Kelsey, with some stating they she wasted valuable time and resources of the people who actively searched for her.
“She should be charged for the entire missing persons investigation. And have to pay all the money back,” one commenter wrote.
“She should be required to repay every public service resource that wasted time looking for her,” another stated.
Image credits: Inyo County Sheriff’s Office
“This is extremely selfish when people do this. At least call the police and let them know you are alive and well so they don’t waste time and money looking for YOU!!” another wrote.
Netizens shared various theories and reactions about Kelsey’s disappearance
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