The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division has issued a statewide Endangered Person Alert for a Columbia woman last seen driving away from a hospital complex on Wednesday afternoon. Alice Rawls was last spotted around 4 p.m. near 400 Palmetto Health Parkway, behind the wheel of a white 2015 Nissan Frontier, and she has not been seen since.
Details of the Alert and Vehicle Description
According to WIS-TV, SLED issued the alert on behalf of the Richland County Sheriff's Department, and the outlet identifies Rawls as 81 years old. The truck she was driving displays South Carolina license plate QUY-584, a detail investigators are highlighting as they ask the public to watch for the vehicle. By contrast, WACH reports that Rawls is 82, so her exact age has not been confirmed across all accounts.
Physical descriptions of Rawls also vary slightly depending on the source. ABC Columbia describes her as 5 feet 3 inches tall and 150 pounds, with gray hair and blue eyes, and reports that she was last seen wearing a multicolored dress, per ABC Columbia. The same station notes her weight matches other reporting, though WACH's own account describes her outfit differently, saying she was last seen wearing a blue dress and black shoes, per the station's report.
Health Concerns Cited in Search
WACH's reporting adds that Rawls has memory problems, requires medication and uses a walker, details that underscore the urgency law enforcement has placed on locating her quickly. South Carolina's Endangered Person Notification System exists for exactly this kind of situation. The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division states that the system is designed to rapidly spread information statewide about missing people believed to be suffering from dementia or another cognitive impairment.
WYFF also reported the alert, covering the core details of Rawls's disappearance alongside other Columbia-area outlets tracking the case. The Richland County Sheriff's Department is actively seeking information about her whereabouts and has not released further updates beyond the original alert.
How to Help
Anyone who sees Rawls or the white Nissan Frontier, or who has any information about her whereabouts, is urged to immediately call 911 or contact the Richland County Sheriff's Department or their nearest law enforcement agency. No additional details about her condition or location have been released since the alert went out.
