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‘She was shaking,’ 10-year-old boys find missing woman in woods

Posted at 1:32 PM, Oct 14, 2015
and last updated 2015-10-14 13:32:52-04

NAPLES, Fla. — A 55-year-old woman missing for almost exactly 24 hours was found safe Tuesday afternoon by two unlikely heroes in Florida.

A major search including 125 people, had been underway for Romona Daugs, who had not been heard from since leaving her Willoughby Acres home for a walk on Monday afternoon, WBBH.

Matthew Thompson and Dawson Blume

Matthew Thompson and Dawson Blume (SOURCE: WBBH)

Deputies said two 10-year-old boys — Matthew Thompson and Dawson Blume — found her just minutes from the command center staging area for the search, which included more than 100 first-responders several counties.

“We were over there on the other side of the yard, and then we came over and then we went inside and told his mom,” said Thompson.

Thompson and Blume were outside playing when they saw someone in the woods, looking confused and tired. The mother had actually told them earlier to keep on the lookout.

“My mom was standing right there and she’s like, ‘Come here, is your name Romona?'” Blume said. “She was shaking. She was cold, scratched up and bleeding.”

Blume said the woman was only wearing a sports bra and was confused.

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Daugs was taken to an area hospital. (SOURCE: WBBH)

Crews had been searching in the air, along with help from bloodhounds, personnel on ATVs and concerned neighbors.

Daugs was sent to the hospital as a precaution.

Her family said she has dementia and gets confused. They also said they usually use a GPS bracelet to keep track of her, but she wasn’t wearing it at the time as it kept malfunctioning.

At least one of the agencies involved in the search said Thompson and Blume will be getting an award.