After Losing Her Son, Woman Focused on Raising Her Granddaughter, Went Missing, and Was Later Found Dead in a Sinkhole

The family of Elizabeth Pollard, a 64-year-old grandmother from Pennsylvania, is mourning her death after she went missing and was later found to have tragically fallen into a 30-foot sinkhole over a week ago.

Elizabeth was known for her love and devotion to her family, especially to her 5-year-old granddaughter.

She had been caring for her granddaughter full-time since the heartbreaking death of her son Brandon, who passed away at the age of 28 in January. 

“Her granddaughter was her whole world,” said Tabitha Pollard, Elizabeth’s niece, in an interview with The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.

“They were always together, no matter where she went.” Caring for her granddaughter brought Elizabeth joy and purpose, helping her cope with the pain of losing her son. 

Elizabeth’s other son, Axel Hayes, who is Brandon’s twin brother, shared how much his mother’s cheerful personality stood out. “She was always happy,” he said. “I never saw her sad until my brother passed away. That was the only time I saw her heartbroken.” 

On December 2, Elizabeth disappeared while searching for her missing cat. She had taken her car and brought her granddaughter along.

Hours later, her car was found parked near a large sinkhole, with her granddaughter safe and asleep inside. This discovery led authorities to suspect that Elizabeth might have fallen into the sinkhole. 

Search and rescue teams worked for several days, using heavy equipment to dig through the area. On December 4, officials announced they were no longer searching for a rescue but rather for recovery.

Two days later, they found Elizabeth’s body. Investigators believe she fell into the sinkhole, which opened suddenly in the ground, and dropped into an abandoned mine below. 

Westmoreland County coroner Tim Carson later explained that an autopsy showed Elizabeth suffered severe injuries to her head and torso, likely from the fall.

However, it is still unclear if she died instantly. Toxicology results are still pending, and a full autopsy report is expected in four to six weeks. 

Elizabeth’s niece spoke about how the family had been trying to heal from the loss of Brandon earlier in the year. Raising their granddaughter had brought Elizabeth and her husband comfort during this tough time.

“They were still healing from Brandon’s death,” she said. “Now we are grieving for Elizabeth too. It’s incredibly hard for my uncle and the entire family.” 

To support Elizabeth’s family, a GoFundMe fundraiser was started by Stacey Reid-Donahue, who had worked with Elizabeth at Walmart in Greensburg, Pennsylvania, during the 1990s.

Stacey described Elizabeth as a kind, selfless, and caring person who loved her family and was dedicated to her job.

“Elizabeth was the type of person who would give the shirt off her back to help someone in need,” Stacey wrote.

“She loved her work, her husband, and her family. We are asking for help to support her loved ones during this very difficult time.” 

Elizabeth’s sudden death has left her family and community in shock. She was remembered as a devoted grandmother, a loving mother, and a kind-hearted friend to everyone who knew her.