Putnam County, FL – A missing Jacksonville man was found alive Wednesday after being partially buried in an unstable sand borrow pit, triggering a multi-agency rescue response.
According to the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, Andrew Giddens had been missing since mid-February. Deputies located his abandoned vehicle on Feb. 23 after recognizing it from a prior trespassing encounter in 2023 at Vulcan Materials Company property. Authorities searched the area by air and conducted a welfare check but initially found no sign of Giddens.
Family members told deputies Giddens had been depressed following a recent breakup, and his last known contact was with his father on Feb. 14. A missing persons report was filed.
On Tuesday, Vulcan Materials employees monitoring the expansive property spotted Giddens near a borrow pit and alerted authorities. Deputies said he had sunk below grass level and was covered to his shoulders in mud and sand, making him difficult to see. Due to unstable ground conditions, rescuers were initially unable to reach him safely.
Putnam County Fire Rescue, along with Palatka, Melrose and Clay County fire departments, responded. Crews used ladders, pallets and backboards to create a stable working platform before executing a technical rescue. Giddens was freed around 8:30 p.m. and airlifted to a trauma center in critical condition.
Deputies said mental health charges are being considered. The sheriff’s office also encouraged anyone struggling to call 988, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.
The incident underscores the risks posed by unstable industrial sites, particularly for workers and first responders navigating hazardous terrain.
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