Neather Kelly, 93, was found dead on Jan. 25 after leaving her South Carolina home during a storm the night before. An abandoned 2005 Ford Escape was discovered in a ditch around 1 a.m., prompting a search in cold, rainy conditions. Kelly’s body was located about 9:15 a.m. curled up near a power pole less than a block from her home, across from a church she once attended. Her family says she had developing dementia but lived independently and is now mourning her loss.
Beloved 93-Year-Old Matriarch Found Dead Near Home After Leaving During Storm
From left, Neather Kelly with sister Louise Mack during a family gatheringCourtesy of Neather Kelly Family
Neather Kelly, a 93-year-old woman known as a mother and grandmother figure across her small South Carolina community, was found dead on Monday, Jan. 25, after leaving her home during a severe storm the night before, her family says.
Family members say Kelly — who would have turned 94 the following month and had been living alone after her husband's death — was urged to remain inside as record-breaking weather moved in. Although relatives were aware she was developing dementia and could become confused at times, they did not want to remove her independence by taking her car.
Search and Discovery
Around 1 a.m. on Monday, a neighbor returning home found an abandoned 2005 Ford Escape in a water-filled ditch and noticed Kelly's purse inside with a relative's name and phone number. The neighbor called 911, and police and volunteers launched a search before dawn, contending with rain, cold temperatures near 29°F and poor visibility.
Security footage from a nearby house captured Kelly driving past sometime between 10:30 and 11 p.m. Sunday; the video showed her brake lights as she stopped, but it was not clear which direction she walked after exiting the vehicle.
Neather KellyCourtesy of Neather Kelly Family
Orangeburg County Sheriff Leroy Ravenell issued an early appeal for help locating Kelly, stressing concern about the severe weather. Searchers checked yards, knocked on doors and combed streets as family and neighbors joined the effort.
Tragic Outcome
At about 9:15 a.m. Monday, a niece searching a street that had not yet been scoured discovered Kelly’s body curled up near a power pole less than a block from her home, across from a church the family used to attend. Orangeburg Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Deputy Richard Walker confirmed the time the body was found.
“We are extremely concerned with the weather having been as cold as it is. We need to locate her as soon as we can,” Sheriff Ravenell had said earlier, and later asked the community to pray for the family.
Remembering Neather Kelly
The family has gathered at Kelly’s home, sorting through photographs and memories of a woman who remained active in church and community life despite many losses, including the earlier deaths of her only son and three siblings. Relatives remembered her as spirited and fashionable — “at 93 years old, she was still wearing heels,” her niece Brenda Austin recalled.
The family continues to mourn and has asked for privacy as they make arrangements and grieve their loss.
Help us improve.
