Missing Florida woman found safe in southwest Georgia

A 78-year-old Jacksonville, Fla., woman who authorities initially believed had been abducted from her home Wednesday has been found safe in southwest Georgia.

The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office had earlier said that foul play was suspected in the disappearance of Susan Lockwood Boxx, after finding signs of forced entry into her home.

But Tom Hackney, director of investigations for the sheriff's office, told WJAX-TV in Jacksonville that a Georgia State Patrol trooper found Boxx was safe near Americus about 5 a.m. Thursday. She was in her car, on the side of the road and out of gas.

According to the station, a separate, unrelated burglary set off her home’s burglar alarm Wednesday night. When her son came to the house to check on her, he found the front door kicked in and his mother’s purse missing.

Hackney said that Boxx had left her home well before the 10:30 p.m. burglary, and had used her credit cards Wednesday morning up and down the I-75 corridor in Georgia.

He said Boxx seemed to be in good spirits, but possibly a bit confused, when found by the GSP trooper before daybreak Thursday. She showed no signs of dementia or forgetfulness, Hackney said.

Boxx’s son was traveling to Georgia Thursday to bring his mother home, according to Hackney.