Missing Modesto woman found alive in Merced County weeks after crash

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- A Modesto teacher was found alive weeks after she crashed her car and disappeared. A ranch manager and search volunteers found Jamie Tull near a fence less than a mile away from the crash site.

"I did not wake up this morning thinking that I would find Jamie-- it's a miracle that we did," said Robert Carpenter, family friend.

They found her on Friday morning just a couple of miles away from Planada. Volunteers searching for Tull decided to come back to the original site and look around one last time.

Mario Bianchi said during their search he spotted something unusual in the field.

"I see something out of the ordinary, looked like a set of knees. All of a sudden we got close-- oh my God, that's her, and we wondered if she was alive and she said, 'I'm alive.'"

Merced County Sheriff Vern Warnke said she was extremely sunburned, dehydrated, and was malnourished when they found her, but said she did not want to be rescued.

"When we were treating her here we were talking to her about getting her to the hospital. She didn't want anything to do with that, she wanted some food and water, and then let her go."

Warnke said they found some of Tull's belongings by a windmill in the field. He said she survived by eating insects, and drinking water from a nearby cow trough.

Ultimately, Tull was treated at the site then immediately air lifted to Community Regional Medical Center in Fresno.

Authorities did tell us that Tull had been taking medication for some emotional issues, but had not been taking that medication around the time she crashed her car.

We also asked them why it took long to find Tull and they said she was moving around this area, and the tall grass makes it very easy for someone to hide.

We contacted to Tull's parents but they did not want to comment at this time.