Official statements from Pennsylvania State Police or news reports

Elizabeth Pollard, 64, Missing; Feared Fallen into 30-Foot Sinkhole While Searching for Cat in Pennsylvania

Dec 4, 2024, 12:56 AM

A 64-year-old Pennsylvania woman, Elizabeth Pollard, is believed to have fallen into a 30-foot-deep sinkhole that formed suddenly while she was searching for her missing cat, Pepper, in Unity Township, Westmoreland County. Pollard went missing around 1 a.m. on Tuesday after she went out to look for her cat. Her five-year-old granddaughter was found in a car near the hole. Authorities, including Pennsylvania State Police and first responders, are conducting a search and rescue operation. A sinkhole, possibly connected to an abandoned coal mine, was discovered near where her vehicle was parked, and a camera captured a shoe inside the hole. The sinkhole had no prior evidence of existence before Pollard's search. Rescue efforts have continued into a second day, and officials remain optimistic despite more than 24 hours having passed. However, the abandoned mine is becoming compromised and unsafe.