What started as a peaceful family hike quickly turned into a high-stakes search and rescue in the woods of Lake Talquin State Forest.
- A family hiking in Lake Talquin State Forest got lost.
- LCSO deputies and various units, including helicopters and drones, conducted the search.
- Watch the video below to find out how much the rescue may have cost taxpayers.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:A weekend hike gone wrong put local deputies to the test. I’m Lentheus Chaney in Southwest Tallahassee, taking a look at how LCSO used time, people, and tools to locate a missing family in Lake Talquin State Forest.
A family outing took a dangerous turn on June 21, when two children, their mother, and grandmother became separated while hiking in Lake Talquin State Forest. They had only a 911-enabled cell phone—and no map or supplies.
The first call for help came at 4:48 p.m. from the children’s father. He reported his family was lost somewhere along the Fort Braden Trailhead. The trail spans nearly 10 miles of thick forest, steep ridges, and poor cell coverage—just 25 minutes from Tallahassee, but difficult to navigate without preparation…