The search is over for a missing Stevensville woman, and sadly the story has ended in tragedy. Lincoln Township Police say that Anna Hyszczak “has been recovered,” however she was not found alive. Here’s what Lincoln Township Police Chief Gary Soper tells us:
At approximately 4:24 pm on Wednesday, October 4, 2017, the Berrien County Dispatch received a call from a kayaker in North Lake in the Grand Mere area in Lincoln Township who indicated he had located a body. His description matched that of Anna Hyszczak, who had been reported missing on Tuesday, October 3. Lincoln Township units responded to North Lake Park and made contact with the kayaker. Berrien County Sheriff Dive Team deputies responded to the scene and assisted with the recovery of Anna Hyszczak. Her body was transported to Lakeland St. Joseph. The investigation is ongoing.
The 57 year old woman had last been seen by her family at about 1:45pm on Tuesday afternoon, October 3, 2017 when she left her home near Cherry Lane and Orchard Drive, riding her bike. Family members had search for her in places that she was known to frequent in the past, and at around 3pm on Tuesday a family member discovered her bike in the 5600 block of Notre Dame Drive in the Grand Mere neighborhood of Lincoln Township. The bike was leaning against a fence post about 25 yards into a wooded area, along an old driveway.
Family members had proceeded to search the wooded area nearby, but were unable to locate her, and resorted to calling in the authorities around 5pm last evening, as Lincoln Township Police were called in to assist in the search along with the Lincoln Township Fire Department.
The Berrien County Sheriff’s Department K-9 unit, the Michigan State Police K-9 unit and many volunteer searchers hunted for several hours, with event the assistance of a State Police helicopter unit armed with thermal imaging capabilities.
After unsuccessful searching even employing the thermal technologies, the search was ended for the night and then resumed in earnest this morning at first light. Hyszczak suffered from certain undisclosed medical conditions that left family members, friends and colleagues fearful for her fate, but the search ensued.
There were unconfirmed reports of a fire in the woman’s house this morning, however there was no immediate indication as to if the fire was related in any way to the woman’s disappearance.
