UPDATED 10/10/20 — Sharon “Chris” Bear, who was first reported missing on October 8, was located by the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) this morning in the vicinity of the ongoing search. Deputies are currently working “on extracting Bear from the search area,” in order to assess whether she may need medical attention, according to a Facebook post from MCSO posted Saturday morning.
Bear was located after an extensive search effort spanning several days, including a combination of on the ground search efforts by multiple agencies, canines, and aerial searches. Here’s the full update, including the description of the search efforts conducted over the last several days:
UPDATED PRESS RELEASE:On 10-10-2020 at approximately 10:20 AM searchers dedicated to the Search & Rescue operation found Sharon Bear alive within the search area.
Searchers are actively working on extracting her from the search area to deliver her to awaiting medical personnel for medical assessment and treatment if needed.
ORIGINAL PRESS RELEASE:On 10-08-2020 at approximately 12:00 P.M., Deputies with the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office were dispatched to a missing person on West Highway 20, approximately 8-miles east of Fort Bragg, California.
Deputies arrived and spoke to the reporting person near the aforementioned area, which is within Jackson State Forest and currently open to permitted cutting of firewood.
Deputies learned the missing person was 72-year old Sharon “Chris” Bear.
Sharon Bear and the reporting person were friends, who made plans earlier in the day to meet at the location to cut firewood.
Sometime after the reporting person arrived, she received a voicemail message from Bear who informed the reporting person that her vehicle was stuck and she was lost. The reporting person described Bear as an at risk person due to medical related issues.
Deputies initiated a search for Bear and her described vehicle. That initial search included Bear’s residence, her presumed route of travel to the area, and a canvas of the multiple forest service roads currently accessible by vehicle within the Jackson State Forest wood cutting area.
At approximately 3:30 P.M, Deputies located Bear’s vehicle stuck in heavy brush just off an unimproved skid trail. Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office Bloodhound “Chase” was deployed in an effort to scent track Bear without success.
At approximately 7:00 P.M., Mendocino County Search and Rescue personnel deployed and searched the area throughout the night, but could not locate Bear.
A more comprehensive search of the Jackson State Forest area was conducted on 10-08-20 utilizing Search and Rescue personnel, ATV’s, Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), ground searchers, and canines.
Search and Rescue personnel were unable to locate Bear, so mutual aid resources were requested through the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services Law Enforcement Branch with continued search efforts planned for 10-09-20 and.Search efforts on 10-09-2020 were unsuccessful and will continue on 10-10-2020 with the following personnel:Mendocino County Search & Rescue, Sonoma County Search & Rescue, Humboldt County Search & Rescue, Napa County Search & Rescue, California Rescue Dog Association (CARDA), Bay Area Mountain Rescue Unit (BAMRU) and the Marin County Search & Rescue.
In addition to the numerous human searchers there are (2) tacking/trailing canines and (3) area search canines.
Anyone with information regarding Sharon bear’s possible whereabouts is requested to contact the Sheriff’s Office Dispatch Center at 707-961-2421.
MSCO press release
MENDOCINO Co., 10/9/20 — The Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) is searching for a missing woman, Sharon “Chris” Bear, near the Parlin Forks Conservation Camp off State Route 20 in the Fort Bragg area. Bear is a 71 year old woman who was reported missing in late yesterday afternoon, October 8, according to an MCSO Facebook post announcing the search.
Bear is described as five feet, one inch tall, with grey hair and blue eyes, and is believed to be wearing a hat, glasses, and shirt like those shown in the photo below. MCSO requests that anyone who may have seen here or have any information regarding her whereabouts contact 707-463-4086.
She was last heard from by phone at 8 a.m. on October 8. The initial search began after deputies located Bear’s vehicle, unoccupied, in the Darlin Forks vicinity that evening.
Here’s the MCSO Facebook post from October 9:
Complimentary copyedits:
In the lede, the name of the camp should read “Parlin Fork Conservation Camp” and would be more accurately described as “located approximately 11 miles east of Fort Bragg on State Route CA-20.” The following sentence shouldn’t use relative descriptions for time, stating more clearly that she was “reported missing on Thursday, October 8, in the late afternoon.”
Warmly,
Peter
Isn’t it “Parlin” Forks???
No, no ‘S’ in Fork https://www.cdcr.ca.gov/facility-locator/conservation-camps/parlin-fork/