KING WILLIAM COUNTY, Va. -- Authorities said they have called off the search for a missing 55-year-old woman who vanished a week ago in rural King William County.
Farran J. Braxton, who is diabetic and may need medication, was last seen leaving her home on Union Hope Road on foot around 6:45 a.m. Friday, Sept. 20, according to the King William County Sheriff's Office. Family members said she has intellectual disabilities.
The Sheriff’s Office, along with Virginia Department Emergency Management, Virginia State Police and search teams from across the Commonwealth, combed over a heavily wooded area in the lower part of King William County for seven days with no results.
That search included ground teams on foot, K-9 teams, equine teams and aircraft.
Braxton is described as a black female, 5 feet 2 inches tall with salt-and-pepper, short-cut hair. She was last seen wearing a charcoal gray jacket, a pink sleeveless shirt, black pants with a white stripe and white tennis shoes.
Officials said deputies will continue to investigate new leads as they develop.
If you have seen Braxton, call the King William Sheriff's Office at 804-769-0492.
Relative: 'We looked out and she wasn’t there'
Family members were leaning on their faith when WTVR CBS 6 reporter Gabrielle Harmon talked with them about Braxton last Sunday.
"We may not know where she is, but we know God knows where she is, and in due time He will reveal it," Braxton's brother-in-law said.
Family members said Braxton was going about her normal routine Friday morning sitting outside and taking in the fresh air.
"But this particular morning, we kinda have the doors open, available for us to be able to see what kind of movement she’s doing," Braxton's brother-in-law said. "We looked out and she wasn’t there."
Family members said they immediately started searching for Braxton as they had a similar scare last month.
"About a month ago, she did leave her residence and we found her about a mile away at another residence located down the road," King William County Sheriff Jeff Walton said. "We have gone through the same area she had gone through previously. The dogs tracked to a point, but not to that direction this time."
Braxton’s brother-in-law said dogs tracker her coming off a neighbor’s property and going across the highway.
"They think she went through the brush – or through the bush," he said.
Unsure of where she could be, the family is holding out hope for her safe return.
"We pray that nothing happened to her physically," family members said. "We’re hoping that maybe she got a ride from a familiar person."
Authorities previously said they do not suspect foul play.
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