A 36-year-old Florida man who had been missing since Valentine’s Day was found alive but trapped shoulder-deep in quicksand-like mud near a borrow pit, triggering a dramatic rescue operation that lasted nearly three hours.
Andrew Giddens, a resident of Jacksonville, was reported missing after his family last heard from him on February 14. Days later, authorities in Putnam County began piecing together clues that ultimately led to his rescue.
Abandoned vehicle sparks search
Deputy Derrick Holmes of the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office noticed Giddens’ abandoned vehicle on February 23 near a sand plant operated by Vulcan Materials Company, east of Melrose, Florida. Holmes recognized both the vehicle and Giddens’ name from a prior trespassing incident in 2023 at another Vulcan site.
Holmes contacted Vulcan officials, requesting a search of their property for any signs of disturbance. Simultaneously, an aviation unit conducted an aerial search, and a welfare check was carried out at Giddens’ Jacksonville home. Despite these efforts, there was initially no sign of him.
Family members later told authorities that Giddens had been struggling emotionally following a recent breakup and had not been in touch since mid-February, prompting a formal missing persons investigation.
Discovered nearly camouflaged in mud
On the evening of February 25, a Vulcan employee spotted Giddens near a borrow pit — submerged up to his shoulders in thick mud that resembled quicksand. According to the sheriff’s office, he had sunk below the surrounding grass level, making him nearly invisible and “virtually camouflaged”.
Though alert and able to speak, Giddens was surrounded by unstable ground, preventing the worker from reaching him safely.
High-risk rescue operation
Specialized crews from local fire departments rushed to the site. Initial attempts to pull him out using ropes proved unsuccessful due to the mud’s suction-like grip. Rescuers then deployed ladders, backboards, pallets and poles to create a stable working surface and prevent themselves from sinking.
Carefully coordinating their movements, teams worked for nearly three hours to free Giddens from the shoulder-deep mud.
Authorities said he had endured freezing temperatures for days and had reportedly gone without food or water. He was airlifted to a hospital in critical condition but is expected to recover physically.
No charges to be filed
Officials said no charges are being considered for trespassing “due to his mental health”. A statement from Vulcan Materials Company commended its staff for handling the situation with “care and compassion” and assisting first responders.
A relative, who identified herself as Giddens’ aunt on social media, suggested he may have been trapped for about four days.
“Thank God he was found when he was,” she wrote. “One more day, and we would not have been as fortunate.”
