Missing flood victim’s son not giving up hope his mother will be found
BREATHITT COUNTY, Ky. (WTVQ) (01/09/2023) – It’s been nearly six months since the deadly, historic flooding in Eastern Kentucky.
Among the many questions that still remain unanswered, where is Vanessa Baker?
“It’s not getting easier, it’s getting harder not knowing where she is at, it has been over five months and nothing,” said Michael Baker.
Michael Baker is Vanessa’s son. He says losing his mother has been devastating.
On that tragic July day, he says he had to watch as she got swept away by the flood waters at her home on Lower Caney Road, unable to help her.
“Standing there in the flood waters up to my waist trying to get to my parents and just seeing them get swept away is just traumatizing, nothing I could do to save them is traumatizing, luckily dad got out but mom wasn’t so lucky” added Baker.
He says the loss is hard to process and that his mother was loved by everyone who knew her.
“She meant the world to me, she did. She was a wonderful woman. She was loved by so many. She worked at a school, a school here in Breathitt County, and everyone that knew her loved her. I don’t know anybody that had a mean thing to say about her, she was so wonderful” said Baker.
According to Kentucky Emergency Management, more than 170 man-hours have been dedicated to searching operations for Baker, since August.
On Saturday those search efforts continued, with more than 160 crew members from out of state and around Kentucky joining in.
KY Emergency Management says the search spanned more than 1,000 acres along the North Fork Kentucky river in Breathitt County.
State police trooper Matt Gayheart told ABC 36 that those search efforts were unsuccessful, saying crews were not able to identify anything significant.
“I guess disappointing, we were hoping and praying that something would come out of it and she would be found,” said Baker.
It’s not known when the next search will take place or where, as Baker continues to look for closure.
“We’re just trying to take it day by day and hopefully, she’ll turn up somewhere you know, hopefully sooner than later” added Baker.
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BREATHITT COUNTY, Ky. (WTVQ) (01/07/2023)
The search for a woman who has been missing since July’s deadly flooding in Eastern Kentucky continued Saturday.
Back in August, family members of Vanessa Baker’s told ABC 36 that she was swept away in the July flood while trying to evacuate her home on Lower River Caney Road.
Her husband tried to save her.
(READ MORE: https://www.wtvq.com/search-for-2-missing-women-continues-relatives-of-vanessa-baker-look-for-closure/)
Despite many search efforts since then, she has yet to be found. But, crews have not given up.
Saturday more than 120 crew members from out of state and around Kentucky joined in on the search, looking around the North Fork of the Kentucky river, according to the Breathitt County Advocate.
Baker was not found in the search.
KSP Trooper Matt Gayheart tells us a piece of clothing was found that matched the color of what she was wearing that day but he says it turned out to be nothing.
Trooper Gayheart says he is unsure when the next search will be.
