Authorities in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, believe they have recovered the body of 64-year-old Elizabeth Pollard, who went missing four days earlier near a sinkhole located above an abandoned coal mine. A coroner was dispatched to the scene in Unity Township Friday morning, where excavation efforts had been underway since Pollard's disappearance.

Pollard was last seen Monday evening searching for her missing cat near a restaurant not far from her home. Her 5-year-old granddaughter was later found safe inside Pollard's car, parked approximately 20 feet from the sinkhole, which authorities suspect had recently opened. The search for Pollard involved specialized equipment, including a camera with a listening device, but initially yielded no results. Crews then began the arduous task of removing substantial amounts of earth and rock from around the 30-foot-deep chasm.

State Trooper Steve Limani expressed a sense of relief among the search team, noting dwindling resources and time. Pollard’s son, Axel Hayes, was awaiting confirmation from authorities. Pollard, a longtime resident of Unity Township, was married for over four decades and had previously worked at Walmart. Witnesses in the area prior to Pollard's disappearance reported not noticing the sinkhole.