Large scale search underway for missing Polk County grandmother

POLK COUNTY, Ga - Hundreds have been searching for missing Barbara McCray, an 83-year-old Polk County grandmother who hasn't been seen in days.

"My heart is so grateful to this community and everyone who came out to look for her," said Misty Romero, McCray's granddaughter.

Misty Romero says she is overwhelmed by the hundreds of people who have been searching for her grandmother. 

McCray went for a walk on Dugdown Road where she lives Saturday evening around 6.  Romero says she liked to go for walks every day, even as dementia was setting in.

"It's normal for her to go for a walk so we didn't think anything of it," said Romero.

But this time, she didn't come home.  Her family called the police, a Mattie's CallGeorgia's emergency missing alert for disabled or elderly persons, was issued, and in In no time, agencies from throughout the area started searching for Ms. McCray.

"Civilian volunteers, fire officials, law enforcement," said Polk County Police Det. Caleb Bowman.

Helicopters have been crisscrossing the area from the sky. Family and friends have been combing fields and woods on 4-wheelers and on foot.  Boats with sonar searched ponds.

"Everybody of water that's in that area DNR and Haralson County brought out a boat, and covered those areas," said Det. Bowman.

The family says seeing everyone try so hard to find Ms. McCray is what's holding them together.

"We're just still hopeful, my dad and I, just waiting on her to come back home," said Romero.

Carroll County Sheriff's Office brought out their drone equipped with thermal imaging overnight to try to find her.  Other law enforcement agencies are expected to join the search when it resumes in the morning at 8.

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