Man Missing Since Valentine’s Day Rescued After Being Trapped in Mud
Andrew Giddens, 36, who had been missing since Valentine’s Day, was found over a week later trapped in mud up to his shoulders, according to authorities. By the time of his rescue, Giddens had reportedly endured several days without food or water in freezing weather conditions. Officials conducted a dramatic rescue operation to end his ordeal.
Deputy Derrick Holmes of the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office in Florida discovered Giddens’ abandoned car on February 23 near a sand plant owned by Vulcan Materials Company, the sheriff’s office stated in a Facebook post. Holmes recognized the vehicle and Giddens’ name from a prior encounter during a 2023 trespassing incident at another Vulcan Materials site.
Holmes contacted Vulcan Materials officials, requesting a search of their property for any sign of Giddens, a Jacksonville resident. He also asked the Jacksonville sheriff’s office to check on Giddens’ home. Subsequently, Holmes received information from Giddens’ friends and family, who reported no contact with him since he last spoke to his father on February 14. They indicated that Giddens was experiencing depression following a recent breakup. This prompted the Putnam sheriff’s office to open a missing persons investigation.
Discovery and Rescue Efforts
Employees of Vulcan Materials continued to search for Giddens, and on the evening of February 25, one worker spotted him trapped in shoulder-deep mud near a borrow pit, the sheriff’s office reported. Although Giddens was alert and able to communicate, the worker could not reach him due to the surrounding unstable ground.
Specialized rescue teams from local fire departments were called to the scene. They collaborated to free Giddens using equipment such as ladders, backboards, pallets, poles, and ropes. The complex rescue operation lasted approximately three hours, with rescuers exercising caution to avoid becoming stuck themselves. The sheriff’s office shared video footage and photographs documenting parts of the rescue effort.
Condition and Aftermath
Giddens had endured freezing temperatures in the days prior to his rescue and lacked food and water during that time, the agency confirmed. Following his extraction, an air ambulance transported him to a hospital where he was admitted in critical condition.
The Putnam Fire Department in Palatka, which participated in the rescue, issued a statement indicating that Giddens was expected to recover physically. The sheriff’s office also clarified that no charges would be pursued against Giddens for trespassing on Vulcan Materials property, citing considerations related to his mental health.
Family and Company Responses
A woman identifying herself as Giddens’ aunt, Jeannie Smith Carson, posted on social media that she believed her nephew had been trapped in the mud for approximately four days.
"Thank God he was found when he was," Carson wrote. "One more day, and we would not have been as fortunate."
The Florida news outlet reported a statement from Vulcan Materials praising its team for managing the trespassing situation with care and compassion while assisting first responders in reaching a man in distress.
"We are grateful for his safe rescue and thankful for the first responders who aided him," the Vulcan statement said.
