Florida Woman Missing for 4 Days Found Crying for Help, Trapped in Swamp Near St. Lucie River
PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. — A Florida woman who vanished for four days was found alive but trapped in a swamp, crying for help after she became stuck in thick mud along the St. Lucie River. Authorities say the rescue came just in time after police heard her faint voice calling out across the dark waters.
The ordeal began on October 24, when 37-year-old Kelly Marie Catrambrone was last seen walking away from her Port St. Lucie home around 5 p.m. Her family initially didn’t report her missing, telling officers that she occasionally wandered off but “usually came back.”
“According to the family, she often wanders away from home, but she usually comes back,” said Sgt. Dominic Mesiti of the Port St. Lucie Police Department. “But this time, she didn’t.”
Search Intensifies After Personal Items Found Near River
By Monday, October 27, when Catrambrone still hadn’t returned, authorities launched a full-scale search near the 700 block of NE Emerson Street, fearing she may have entered the nearby St. Lucie River.
The next afternoon, searchers discovered some of her personal belongings on the riverbank, prompting an “extensive search” of the surrounding mangroves and marshland.
As night fell, officers used drones, boats, and thermal imaging equipment to scan the area. Then, around 9 p.m., SWAT Technician Kraviec heard something faint through his headset — the sound of a woman calling for help.
“He heard a faint cry for help,” police said in a statement. “The sound was coming from across the body of water.”
Rescuers Hear Her Cries and Move In
Shortly afterward, a 911 caller also reported hearing “a woman crying for help” somewhere near the river. Local resident Herb Yancy offered his boat to assist officers in reaching the area where movement was spotted in the swamp.
By 9:30 p.m., they found her — trapped knee-deep in mud and tangled in mangroves, across from where her items had been discovered earlier.
“I’ve got you, girl. You’re okay,” one officer can be heard saying in dramatic body camera footage shared by police.
Catrambrone was dehydrated, disoriented, and exhausted, but alive. Rescuers carefully lifted her from the water and transported her to a nearby hospital, where she is expected to make a full recovery.
Community Praises ‘Miraculous Rescue’
The Port St. Lucie Police Department shared updates and footage on Facebook, calling it a moment of relief and unity for the community.
“Extremely dehydrated and disoriented, Catrambrone was transported to a nearby hospital where she is expected to make a full recovery,” the department said. “It’s moments like this that truly reverberate throughout our community as we stand together.”
Police did not immediately release details on how Catrambrone ended up in the swamp, but officers believe she may have wandered into the muddy area while disoriented and become trapped.
The department thanked residents who assisted during the search, noting that community cooperation played a key role in locating her before night temperatures dropped further.
As Catrambrone recovers with her family, local officials are using the case as a reminder for families to report missing persons as soon as possible, especially when they have a history of wandering.
For more human interest stories and updates on remarkable rescues, visit NapervilleLocal.com.
I’ve lived in Naperville long enough to see how quickly our community changes — from new developments downtown to sudden shifts in our Midwest weather. Reporting on Naperville news and daily forecasts gives me the chance to keep neighbors informed about what really matters. My goal is simple: deliver clear, timely updates so you always know what’s happening in our city and what to expect from the skies above.