The family was devastated when Sandra suddenly vanished with her two great-grandchildren. The 75-year-old woman wasn't in the best of health, so they wanted to find her as soon as possible.
The Fairfield Police Department launched a full-scale search to locate the trio. But no one was prepared for what they were about to discover.
Searching For The Trio
The police asked for the public's help locating the elderly woman and her two great-grandchildren, who were last seen a few days ago.
No one had any idea where Sandra could have gone.
Vanished
Sandra's sister claimed she hadn't seen her since the Sunday before her disappearance, and no one in the family had seen her car in the driveway either.
Such behavior was out of character for Sandra. She always let her family know where she was going.
Everyone Was Worried
Sandra's family and friends became worried when she suddenly missed her dialysis appointment and didn't show up for a visit with her sister that same day.
Her car was last seen on Wednesday, half an hour drive from her home.
She Didn't Show Up
"She was supposed to leave here to go to my mother's house to pick up a turkey and what I heard was the bridge cameras had pinged her car going across the bridge several times," Sandra's sister said.
Where did she go?
Confused
“The vehicle that they’re associated with has popped up around the Alamo, Danville, and Walnut Creek area,” said Lt. Jausiah Jacobsen.
Unfortunately, the authorities had no idea who was behind the wheel.
Praying For Her Safety
"We don't believe any foul play has occurred. We just believe she got disoriented, maybe," Sandra's sister said.
“Praying family, so she’s going to be fine. She’s going to come home. She’s going to be fine.”
At Risk
Sandra's two great-grandchildren were considered at-risk because of their ages. The family couldn't understand what prompted her to take them with her.
All of the friends and neighbors were concerned about the safety of Sandra and the children.
A Tragic Event
“It’s heartbreaking, man, so I hope God will bless this family, and we’ll keep our eyes open, and hopefully everybody could come together, and we can figure this out because this is very tragic around the holiday times,” her neighbor, Devan Butler, said.
Little did they know what Sandra was really up to...
Strong Independent Woman
According to Sandra's close family and friends, she took her great-grandchildren in after the death of their parents in a car crash.
Her loved ones considered her to be a strong independent woman.
"Mom"
"She's fiery," Sandra's sister said. "We call her 'Mom.' She's our mom. She raised us."
The case was solved when a sighting of Sandra's vehicle was reported on Willow Avenue in Hercules. So, what had happened?
A Miracle
A local gas station manager recognized the trio as customers and immediately called the police.
It was the holiday miracle Sandra's family and friends were hoping for. "And the prayers were answered, so I'm glad, I'm glad about that," Devan said. "Can't wait to see her green Acura pulling back up in the parking stall."
Safe And Sound
The owner of the gas station said he recognized Sandra and the children from photos on Twitter.
He called 911, and the police arrived within a few minutes. It turned out that Sandra had dementia and she became confused about her location.
Victoria Rosas
Victoria Rosas, who used to be Sandra's student, said the news brought joy to her heart.
“It’s actually pretty warm,” Rosas said. “It is sweet that they are home now. They can celebrate with their family.”
In Good Health
The police didn't reveal where the elderly woman and her two great-grandchildren may have been at the time they were missing, only choosing to share that they had been found alive and in good health.
What do you think happened?