Cave Rescue Incident

UPDATE: Giles County Emergency Services officials say 38-year-old Autumn Nicole Draper of Fairlawn was found dead after falling within a cave in the Staffordsville Community outside of Pearisburg Friday night.
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On Friday, January 12, 2024 at approximately 4:13pm the Giles County Sheriff’s Office 911 Dispatch Center received a call that a female individual had fell approximately 100 feet within a cave in the Staffordsville Community outside of Pearisburg.

Giles County Sheriff’s Office Deputies, Pearisburg Fire Department, and Giles Rescue Squad were dispatched, responded, and quickly identified the need for additional specialized resources. Celco Emergency Response team along with Blacksburg Rescue Squad’s Technical Rescue Cave team were both requested, responded, and assisted with the rescue efforts.

Upon making entry into the cave, rescue personnel located one deceased female victim. The female was extricated from the cave by rescue personnel working the incident.

This incident remains an open investigation by the Giles County Sheriff’s office, all rescue personnel cleared the scene of the incident just after 1:00 am on January 13, 2024.