Missing N.J. Great-Grandmother, 5-Year-Old Found in Virginia Days After Disappearance

DINWIDDIE County, VA — A 71-year-old great-grandmother and a 5-year-old girl are receiving medical care after they were located days after they were last seen in central Virginia, according to state police.

Barbara Briley was flown by a law helicopter to VCU Medical Center in Richmond for treatment, according to police spokesperson Corinne N. Geller. La’Myra Briley, 5, was alert and appeared unharmed. She was transported from the scene for medical evaluation.

An alert Dinwiddie County resident spotted Barbara Briley's silver Toyota Rav4 parked on private property. The woman and child were found sitting together against a tree approximately 45 feet from the car, according to an updated statement from Geller on Wednesday night.

"The property owner had spotted the vehicle from afar and went to check on it, when he found the woman and child," she said. "Ms Briley was unconscious at the time of her discovery. No foul play is suspected in their disappearance."

Virginia law enforcement had been assisting New Jersey authorities in the hunt for Briley and her great-granddaughter, searching hotel and restaurant parking lots in the Ruther Glen area.

Briley had last been seen at an area Exxon station on Christmas Eve on a trip from New Jersey to Morven, North Carolina. A signal from her cell phone came from the Petersburg, Virginia, area, leading authorities and volunteers to refocus the search on the area Tuesday.

It appears Barbara Briley turned off Nash Road and onto a dirt road, which she followed a short distance before pulling off into the woods, Geller said. Briley's car reportedly got stuck in a remote area.

"Based on evidence recovered at the scene, it appears the two were there for several days, but had enough drinks and snacks to sustain them for the duration of that time," Geller said.

Image released by Virginia State Police