New Jersey

Missing Woman & Great Granddaughter Found Alive in Virginia

Barbara Briley, 71, of Mays Landing, and La'Myra Briley, 5, were both found alive in Dinwiddie County, Virginia Wednesday.

An Atlantic County woman who went missing on Christmas Eve was hospitalized while doctors checked out her her great granddaughter after they were both found alive in Virginia.

Officials say Barbara Briley, 71, of Mays Landing and La'Myra Briley, 5, were both found sitting together against a tree about 45 feet from a silver Toyota Rav4 that was parked on private property in Dinwiddie County, Virginia Wednesday around 5 p.m. Wednesday.

The property owner had spotted the vehicle and went to check on it. That's when he found the woman and her great granddaughter. The property owner alerted the Dinwiddie County Sheriff's Office as well as Virginia State Police who responded to the scene. [[408573985, C]]

Barbara Briley was unconscious at the time and flown to VCU Medical Center in Richmond, Virginia for treatment. She was listed in serious condition. The exact medical condition was not released.

Investigators don't believe any foul play was involved in her disappearance. La'Myra Briley was alert and was checked out by doctors as a precaution, said family.

The family thanked "everyone who has assisted our family during this time," in a Facebook post. "Our prayers have been answered. We ask at this time if you will respect our privacy and a formal statement will be issued later. God bless you all and thank you again for praying for our family." [[408604665, C]]

Investigators believe Barbara Briley turned her vehicle off of Nash Road in Dinwiddie County and drove about 3/10 of a mile before pulling off into the woods. She then drove over a small tree, tried to back her vehicle up but then got stuck in a remote area of the property, investigators said. Officials believe Barbara and La'Myra were there for several days but had enough drinks and snacks to survive.

Barbara and La'Myra left Mays Landing on December 24. They were traveling to Morven, North Carolina to see the woman's sister. But they never finished the 557-mile trek and were declared missing on Christmas Day.

The duo was about half-way through the trip when they stopped at an Exxon gas station in Ruther Glen, Virginia. The station is just off Interstate 95, about 30 miles north of Richmond. Barbara asked a clerk to help her with the GPS inside her Toyota RAV4.

"I hit the start button for her. I said just follow the arrow, it will show you how to go," Joanna Strange, the worker who helped Barbara, told the NBC affiliate in Richmond.

Barbara Briely La'Myra Briely
Hamilton Township Police
Barbara Briley, 71, went missing on Christmas Eve while driving to North Carolina with her 5-year-old great granddaughter La'Myra.

After about 45 minutes at the station, Barbara and La'Myra drove off.

There was no activity on Barbara's cell phone until early Tuesday morning when state police said the device possibly connected to a tower near the Dinwiddie Airport -- a regional airport near I-85, about 30 miles south of Richmond.

The FBI joined several law enforcement agencies across several states in the search for the two.

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