A woman who went missing nine months ago has miraculously been found alive, authorities have confirmed.
Kelsey Pittman, 33, from North Carolina, was reported missing by her family in November 2024 after they lost contact with her.
Her car, a 2009 Chevrolet HHR, was found abandoned near California’s Death Valley National Park in February 2025, near 'Slab City' but there was no trace of Pittman.
Pittman remained missing for nine months before she was recently found, three states away in Colorado, thankfully alive.
The Inyo County Sheriff's Office confirmed the news, writing on Facebook: "The Inyo County Sheriff’s Office is relieved to announce that Kelsey Pittman has been located alive in the state of Colorado."
Their statement revealed that after Pittman's car was found, and extensive search began to try and locate her.
They added: "A thorough search of both the vehicle and the surrounding area, however, revealed no sign of Pittman. This led to the initiation of an extensive missing person investigation and search effort.
"Between February and June 2025, ICSO coordinated with multiple law enforcement agencies, drone teams, cadaver dog handlers, and volunteer search and rescue crews. Despite exhaustive ground and aerial searches, no additional physical evidence was found at the site."
No further details have been released about Pittman's disappearance or where she has been for the last nine months.
The statement concluded: "Out of respect for her privacy and that of her family, no further details will be released.
"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."
Pittman's last known contact was with law enforcement in Utah in November 2024, when her family had first reported her missing.
Her car was found in February near Slab City, an unincorporated, off-the-grid alternative lifestyle community built on a disused Marine training base.
Pittman is the latest missing person to have been found in unexpected ways, as hiker Tiffany Slaton was also found alive three weeks after she went missing in treacherous terrain.
Slaton had disappeared in California’s eastern Sierra Nevada mountains after getting caught in a blizzard.
She had managed to survive by taking shelter in an unlocked cabin at a closed resort, where she ate leeks to survive.
Slaton was found when the resort owner discovered her there, and fed her a peanut butter and jelly sandwich to ease her hunger.