Florida Man Rescued After 4 Days in Mud Pit

Authorities in north Florida traced a missing man to a mud pit, where he'd been stuck up to his shoulders for at least four days. Deputies in Putnam County located 36-year-old Andrew Giddens on Wednesday, four days after family believes he became stuck in "quicksand" mud at a Vulcan Materials sand plant, per the Guardian and KXAS. Giddens, known to law enforcement from a 2023 trespassing at another Vulcan Materials site, came back onto their radar when Deputy Derrick Holmes spotted his abandoned car near the property and learned relatives hadn't seen him in days. Holmes asked Vulcan employees to search their property. Two days later, a worker spotted Giddens alert but trapped and essentially camouflaged in a borrow pit, per People and KXAS.

Fire crews used ladders, pallets, backboards, poles, and ropes to reach and extricate him without getting mired themselves. The whole operation took about three hours, per the Guardian. Giddens, who had endured freezing temperatures while going without food or water, was airlifted in critical condition but is expected to recover physically, officials said. The sheriff's office said it will not seek trespassing charges, citing Giddens' mental health; family reported he was depressed following a breakup. Vulcan praised its employees for guiding first responders to "a man who was in distress." An aunt wrote on social media that Giddens was stuck for about four days and that "one more day" could have been fatal.