Australian woman missing in rainforest found

SYDNEY, Oct. 9 (UPI) -- Australian woman Shannon Leah Fraser was lost in the rainforest for 17 days before being found south of Cairns Wednesday.

She was visiting the Golden Hole swimming spot with her partner Sept. 21 when she "must have taken a wrong turn, and got lost," said her brother Dylan Fraser.

She was found walking out of the forest sunburnt, dehydrated and about 40 pounds lighter. She said she survived off of river water, insects and fish.

A banana farmer was the one who saw her emerging from the scrub while eating breakfast. Fraser said she was kept alive by the the thought of her three children.

"There was no way she was gone," Her boyfriend Heath Cassady told the Australian Broadcasting Company. "I could always feel in my heart that she was alive."

Her family said they are trying to help her recover as they gather information and are attempting "not to think the worst."