Out all night, lost near the shores of a stream

Maine Warden and K9 Storm find missing Penobscot woman in the woods

Tue, 05/23/2023 - 6:45pm

Story Location:
Wight Pond
Wight Pond
Penobscot, ME 04476
United States

    PENOBSCOT – Warden K9 Storm and Game Warden Chad Robertson located a missing 72-year-old woman May 23 after she had wandered away from her home on McCaslin Road the day before.

    Marjorie May, who battles memory loss, was found by Storm and Robertson at approximately 9:30 a.m., according to a news release from the Maine Dept. of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife.

    She was disoriented, cold and missing a shoe when she was found near the shores of McCaslin Stream, which is more than two-thirds of a mile from her home.

    Due to the thick woods and distance from her home, she had to be transported out of the woods by canoe first, then by boat, to emergency medical personnel waiting for her at the outlet of Wight pond.

    After searching through the night last night, Warden K9 Storm and Game Warden Robertson were searching another designated area on the eastern side of the stream this morning, when Storm indicated a scent, then raced further ahead, and started barking. Robertson yelled out Marjorie’s name, and she hollered back to him.

    Once he got to her, Robertson gave her some water and food, gave Storm his favorite toy, and completed a quick medical assessment. Even though she could stand and was becoming more coherent as she warmed up and had some food, it was clear she didn’t have the strength to walk back to her house.

    After talking with two local Registered Maine Guides who had offered to help, and who hunted and fished the area extensively, a decision was made to take Marjorie out of the woods by canoe and boat, instead of carrying her on a stretcher through the thick woods.

    John Altman, of Brooksville, and his son, William Altman, grabbed their boat and canoe, then along with Game Warden Chris Roy, launched the boat at the outlet of Wight Pond and traveled two miles by boat towing the canoe to the mouth of McCaslin Stream, then paddled another mile up the stream to where Marjorie was waiting with game wardens and other rescue personnel.

    After being outfitted with warmer clothes, a life jacket and dry shoes which were taken to her by her nephew and game wardens, Marjorie was loaded into the canoe, and was paddled back down the stream by Warden Roy and William Altman, where she was then loaded into the boat, and driven back to the boat ramp by John Altman. Upon arriving at the boat launch at the outlet, Marjorie was examined by medical personnel, cleared to go home, and released back to her family and taken home.

    Marjorie had gone missing May 22 around 3:45 p.m., and after family had searched and were unable to locate her, they contacted the Maine Warden Service, who started searching at approximately 8:30 p.m.

    Game Wardens searched through the night on foot and with K9s. Some of the K9s logged nearly 20 miles searching. Game Wardens also visited and interviewed neighbors seeking information. This morning, a Maine Warden Service plane was launched and was searching the area when Storm located Marjorie.

    The Maine State Police, Maine Forest Service, Penobscot Fire Department, and Maine Search and Rescue Dogs all assisted in the search. The Maine Warden Service set up a mobile command center at the Penobscot Fire Department to oversee the search.