Sad end to search for woman that Columbia police called vulnerable adult
The search in South Carolina for a missing woman called a vulnerable adult has come to a sad end.
The body of Wanda J. Collins, also known as Wanda J. Barksdale, was found near Interstate 126, the Columbia Police Department said Wednesday night.
“The 63-year-old woman who was reported as a missing vulnerable adult has sadly been found deceased,” police said on social media.
Neither Collins’ cause nor manner of death has been announced by the Richland County Coroner’s Office, but an autopsy is scheduled for Thursday, police said.
Officers discovered Collins’ body Wednesday afternoon near the westbound side of I-126, according to police. The body was found hours after Collins was publicly reported missing by police Wednesday morning.
Before finding Collins’ body, police said the 63-year-old was last seen overnight in the area near the westbound side of I-126. Information about what she was doing in that area was not available.
There was no word if Collins was alone when she was last seen, but police said foul play is not suspected in Collins’ disappearance at this time.
No other injuries were reported.
Information about why Collins was considered a vulnerable adult was not available.
Along with the police department’s Special Victims Unit, members of the Columbia Fire Department and South Carolina Law Enforcement Division assisted in the search.
While officers were investigating, police said that two westbound lanes on I-126 were temporarily closed during the Wednesday evening commute.
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This story was originally published July 23, 2025 at 9:54 AM with the headline "Sad end to search for woman that Columbia police called vulnerable adult."
