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You guys have a missing person. >> Yeah, he's inside of town with his mother over there like he's done for. He ain't coming out of there. >> Are you like killing somebody and burying them back here? Like what are you doing? >> He looks in bad condition. >> Yeah, he don't look good. >> When a car is found abandoned near an excavation facility, a search and rescue operation will lead deputies down a mysterious and treacherous path in their hunt for its missing owner, whose bizarre history is not enough to prepare officials for what they're about to encounter. >> Yeah. >> Apparently got a chain and a >> What's that? >> And a cement block. >> A cement block? >> Yeah. >> Wrapped around his ankle. >> Sir? >> What is it? >> The following report is based on official police records released to date, and most of the footage has never been seen before until now. On February 23rd, 2026, a woman in Putnam County, Florida calls the Sheriff's Department, unknowingly setting the stage for an extremely unusual multi-agency operation. >> Putnam County Sheriff's Office, 1451, 9240. >> Yes, ma'am. I wanted to report a car that's been abandoned on our road. >> What's the address? >> Um it's just the beginning of Korean Church Road in Melrose. >> What kind of car is it? >> It's a white Ford Fusion. >> Okay, I will have an officer out there. Thank you. >> The car has been found near a Vulcan Materials gravel and sand excavation facility. The responding deputy meets with a company manager upon realizing he already had an encounter with the vehicle's owner 3 years ago. >> What do you know, brother? All right. >> You got some riffraff from around these days? >> I'll tell you this guy this guy last time, dude, it was like 2023, I think it was it was when it was. >> I remember hearing about it. >> Yeah. So, I remember we had to he kept going in, kept going in, and we finally got up in there and got him caught. >> Court records show that Andrew Giddens, the registered owner of the Fusion, was arrested for criminal mischief and trespassing at another Vulcan Materials processing facility in 2023. >> He was weird, man. He had He had chains and weights and just like, "Are you like killing somebody and burying them back here? Like, what are you doing?" >> At the time, Andrew pled no contest and was sentenced to 12 months probation and ordered to pay $2,000 in restitution. It's beginning to look like that wasn't enough of a deterrent. >> But then I got to thinking like on the way back to towards town, I was like, "Wait a minute. There's sand. See the sand?" >> Oh, yeah. >> So, he's definitely >> Oh, yeah. >> same old MO, you know. >> He just showed me the mud on the seat like that's that's our pavement mud. Like, he's been walking right there somewhere. >> It's that wet and silty type. >> Yeah. Better do weird. >> That is like But he had like chains, he had some kettlebells. >> That's what I remember he was telling I I guess the story the same thing he was saying was I guess he said he was filming YouTube videos. >> Yeah. Yeah, he said he was >> He was like workout videos and >> Hey, Sarge, I'm going to roll over there. I want to check that fence line. I want to see if he got if he cut >> A barbed wire fence surrounds the property as much for the public safety as the company's. >> If he hits that tailing pond over there, like he's done for. He ain't coming out of it. >> Uh he was he was around water last time. Uh I kind of looks like it's been switched out a little bit. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. Yeah, move it right. To the where the grass Pull it down right there. >> Out here? >> It's clear sky, we can fly that chopper. >> Damn right. That's what I'm talking about. >> But an aerial search of the property finds no sign of Andrew and soon the sheriff's office learns that his disappearance has stretched on for days. Andrew's father tells them he hasn't seen his son since February 14th, a week earlier, saying it was highly unusual for his son to be out of contact for that long. Andrew is entered as a missing person, but it's not until 2 days later that the Vulcan materials manager calls 911 with an astonishing update. >> What's going on? >> Um you guys have a missing person. >> Okay. >> Andrew Andrew something. I can't remember his name, but they've been looking for him. He's on site right here. He's still He's alive. He's down in the mud. >> Okay, is he trapped in like quicksand possibly? >> No, he's down He's down in the mud. in our in our sand plant. >> Vulcan sand plant? >> Yes, sir. >> Is he stuck in there? >> Yeah, he's stuck in the mud. >> Is he responding to you? >> Yeah, he's looking at me. He's talking. >> Okay, can you ask him if he's going to need rescue? >> Uh yeah, he's going to need somebody. Are you going to need rescue? Yes. >> Ask him what what or what what's his feeling pain in. >> Man, he's been [clears throat] He's been missing for 10 days or something like that. He's probably about to be dehydrated. >> The situation forces the caller to act as a go-between for Andrew and the operator. >> How long has he been there? Can you ask him if he has any idea? >> How long you BEEN HERE, BUDDY? WHEN? I CAN'T UNDERSTAND IT, BROTHER. I can't get out there any in there with him. >> How far away is he from you? >> I walked him back to the front to get a water right now for him, but he's probably 100 ft >> from solid ground? >> Yeah, good 50 from solid. >> The manager agrees to have someone open the gate for first responders, though it's not immediately clear how anyone will be able to get Andrew out. >> If I can get out to get him a water out here right now going in with him. He looks in bad condition. Yeah, he don't look good. Hey man. Hey. Man, I can't get out there to you. >> I'm stuck. >> I can't get to you. Here's your water. It's cold, be careful. >> Yes. >> Yes, sir. >> How deep is he in the mud? >> He's up to his shoulders. >> Has he sunk any more since you called since you first called me? >> No. No, he looks like he's been like this for days. He's got mud caked all on his head like sunbaked. >> [clears throat] >> Does he say his name pretty slow? >> Yeah. Man, brother, I'm fat and out of shape. I about died. >> You don't need a rescue, do you? >> No, >> [laughter] >> no, I think I'll be all right. >> All right. >> Getting anywhere near Andrew is a risky proposition as deputies and fire rescue personnel will discover for themselves before long. >> He's moving around. Um let me get up here where All right, where I can hear him good. I got to go around some of this mud hole. >> Yes, sir. >> Hey, how you doing down there? >> Not bad. >> He said not bad. >> Okay. All right, do me a favor. Tell him if he's not sinking when he stays still, tell him not to move so he doesn't sink down any further, okay? If he can help it. >> Yep, yep. Don't move around, buddy. We got to help on the way. >> I'm stuck. >> Man, do you have any medical conditions? >> Yeah, I did. >> How many days you been out here? What day did you come out here? >> I don't know. Maybe 56. Six days with somebody else. >> Six days with somebody else? >> Yeah. >> Where are they at? >> They're gone. I don't know. First name John. >> He said he come out here with a guy named John and William. John and John got wet. >> What day did John leave? >> Saturday this morning. >> Do you know what today is? >> No. >> No, he don't know. Do you see any visible injuries to his face or anything? No, he's covered in mud up to just under his shoulders and I can't He's got some kind of a chair or something behind him. A table or something. All right. Playing in the mud. Like maybe they were using it to crawl out there on or something. I don't know. Yeah, I can hear them. They're must be about to pull in the gate. I can hear the sirens on. >> Officials from Putnam County Fire Rescue, the Putnam County Sheriff's Office, and other agencies joined forces to begin the rescue operation. But even getting out to Andrew's location proves to be a challenge. >> Yo. >> What you What you have to do is come up >> Come over here. >> Hey. Good thing I can bring extra uniforms. Come on, assistant. >> All right, which way did he say to walk walk walk over there that way? What do you say? Which way did he say to go? >> Probably where all the footprints are. I understand why people get stuck out here. It is all up my pants. >> The muddy ground leading to the pit is unstable, but what Andrew has found himself in takes things to a new level. >> He turned He's turning to grab hold of that wire. >> All right. >> Let's put the rope back on. >> I've seen this before. >> What y'all do? See him What did you do? >> No, dude. He wouldn't even respond. I thought he was dead when I first seen him. So, he I just look for his tracks, man. We've been looking for him since Saturday he's been out here for since Saturday or something like that. >> Even with the manpower and equipment, getting Andrew out of the muck won't be easy. >> Cuz there's no way to really get a good grip down in there with him without you ending up with him. >> The difficulty leads to moments of frustration. >> If you shut up, I can talk to you. >> You tell him, Daniel. >> What's up? >> You tell him, Daniel. >> God damn, they shut the hell up on this radio. That's all I'm I'm busy. >> And of course, these frustrations extend to the environment as well. >> Hey, man. If you really want to go >> Yeah. >> Can we get some help? Come on. >> Yep. >> There we go. >> Jeez. >> And if being weighed down in this mud is a problem, the responders are about to realize why Andrew is stuck so firmly. >> Didn't he just walk out there? >> He's [snorts] apparently got a chain and a and a cement block or cement block >> Yeah. >> wrapped around his ankle. >> Sir, what? >> Serious? >> What he said. >> Tim knows. Randy knows. Michael knows. >> He had >> a chain and a cement block. said he had a chain and a weight. >> Can you see ankle. him further down that ladder? >> Very fast. So, we'll see. >> You should say pretty fast. >> Hm? >> Is he trying to sit up? >> I think so. >> No. >> All right. >> You want to hold on something? >> It's the chain. >> Come on. >> Yeah. >> If we can get to it, I don't think it's appropriate. >> As the last light fades from the day, the deputies begin to consider the next move. >> So, he's going to jail after this, right? >> Your sandwich is in that bag. >> He's fueled up. >> His phone is half These are things. That's a shirt, two water bottles, and the hot ham and cheese sandwich is in that bag. >> After more than 2 hours of effort, Andrew is finally pulled from the pit. The police report describes what first-hand photographs confirm that Andrew is fully covered in mud and without any clothing. Fire rescue authorities note that he had a 100-lb kettlebell chained to his leg. Andrew's family told officials that he recently went through a breakup and had been depressed. Andrew himself tells first responders that he was chained and left here by a man named John he met online, but the reports make no mention of a follow-up investigation. >> I thought he was here. >> Hey, can you get him out? >> Yeah, he's >> Wait, he's got a chain. >> Y'all take them both out of here, anybody. >> Oh, all right. >> Sure. >> Got a nice coat of peanut butter on him. >> Nice. >> According to a Facebook post from the Putnam County Sheriff's Office, Andrew was flown to a trauma center in critical condition. Due to his mental health, the post says, "No charges are being considered at this time."

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