Advertisement

California woman missing for two weeks found in wilderness

Woman survived on rainwater, pie and oranges.

By Amy R. Connolly

WARNER SPRINGS, Calif., May 25 (UPI) -- A 68-year-old woman, who went missing two weeks ago, was found in the wilderness early Saturday, after surviving on rainwater and a scant amount of food. Her husband was dead.

The couple, Dianna Bedwell and her husband, Cecil Knutson, 79, were found in a car on the Los Coyotes Indian Reservation, near a Boy Scout camp, in a remote part of San Diego county. Bedwell was severely dehydrated and was taken to a local hospital. She had survived on collected rainwater, oranges and pie.

Advertisement

"It would be difficult for someone in good health to survive being in the wild for that long, let alone someone like her," San Diego County sheriff's Lt. Ken Nelson said. "It's close to a miracle that she survived."

The couple was last seen on Mother's Day leaving Valley View Casino in Valley Center, about 25 miles west of where they were found. Authorities said the couple was headed to their son's house in Palm Springs for dinner but never made it.

Bedwell told investigators they took a shortcut but got lost on the way. It's unclear what happened after that.

Advertisement

"What we do know is that the vehicle was found in a position where it was at an incline, leading investigators to believe they may have been taken off the road somehow," private investigator Irma Sanchez said.

Latest Headlines