VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — Officials have ended the search for an elderly woman who was reported missing in Virginia Beach after her body was found Saturday morning.
Virginia Beach Master Police Officer Linda Kuehn said a search and rescue team found 76-year old Shu-Jin Wu just before 7 a.m. Saturday.
“She wasn’t in a position where anyone walking down the street would have seen her there,” Kuehn said. “It was in a body of water, a drainage ditch – creek bed, behind the Food Lion down the street. So really not far from where she lived.”
The Food Lion, off General Booth Boulevard and Dam Neck Road, is just around the corner from Wu’s Gallery Avenue home.
Wu was last seen at her home on Tuesday February 16th, taking out the trash. She had been missing for a few hours when her family alerted police to say she hadn’t returned.
The family was concerned for her safety and well-being because of the potential for a language barrier.
Around 3 p.m. Wednesday, the Virginia State Police sent out a senior alert on her behalf. They said she has a cognitive impairment that puts her at risk.
Kuehn said Wu was found by a search and rescue team.
“They actually had to cut away brush with machetes to get to a point where they could see her,” Kuehn said.
An organized search and rescue effort was set to begin at 9 a.m. Saturday.
“Members of that core team – the ones with the dogs and the people who really organize and orchestrate these events came out a little early to kind of canvass the area and get an idea of where they wanted to send people, where they wanted to target,” Kuehn said. “It was during that time when they were organizing how this morning’s search was going to go that they came upon her.”
Scores of volunteers had gathered at Beach Fellowship, just hours after Wu’s body was found. Unaware, at first, that her body was found.
“She is the age of my mother so this struck too close to home,” volunteer Jack Chen said. “Obviously the outcome is not what we expected. We are very disappointed.”
Another volunteer, Raymond Xiao said they’re upset by the news but appreciate the show of support by the community.
“If anybody needs help, we come out,” Xiao said. “No matter who you are.”
Kuehn said police are still investigating and do not suspect any foul play.
“We all have that hope,” Kuehn said. “When we gather, you always want to hold on to that hope when you can and just pray for a positive outcome and sadly. It just didn’t happen this time.”
There are no details on the cause of death at this time.
