Woman Missing for Nearly One Week Found Alive, Authorities Say

UPDATE: Michelle Richan has been found alive, according to the Eureka County Sheriff’s Office in Nevada.

BOX ELDER COUNTY, Utah – Kaylee Vaughan says her 47 year-old mother, Michelle Richan took the drive back and forth between her home in Brigham City, and Eureka, Nevada fairly often, taking the more back-road route, through Park Valley. So when she failed to make it home Tuesday, family members were concerned to say the least.

“She was constantly stressing with us when were kids to make sure that somebody always kind of knows where you’re going and stuff like that,” Vaughan said. “This was extremely out of character for her to kind of just go off the grid, and no contact or anything like that.”

Updates from the Eureka County Sheriff’s Office said that Richans left, driving her 2000 beige GMC Jimmy, with Utah plates, 2C5JW. She was later spotted on surveillance video, buying gas in Carlin, Nevada. The investigation has since been handed over to the Brigham City Police Department.

Vaughan says most of her family is in Nevada, taking on their own search efforts. She says Search and Rescue, as well as a helicopter were expected to assist as well. Vaughan says her mother’s phone died somewhere in the Wells, Nevada area. That’s roughly where her family is focusing their efforts.

“They have ATV’s four-wheelers, they’re going on back roads, going up in the mountains,” Vaughan said.

Vaughan says her mother is tough, and independent. She’s even known to keep a week-long survival kit in the trunk of her car.

 

“It’s kind of surreal,” Vaughan said. “You don’t really think that it’s ever going to happen to you, especially not to my mom, because she’s so strong-headed, and just that type of person who you would never believe something like that would happen to.”

Between Vaughan and her sister, Richan has four grandchildren.

“She definitely would never want to leave them,” Vaughan said. “We’re hoping that things work out.”