Missing person located in Polk County

PRESS RELEASE – On June 20, 2023, a little after 11:00 AM, missing person Austin Giles was located in Polk County Georgia by searchers. Austin was alright and spoke to rescuers, he was fed and then taken for medical treatment.

On Friday, June 16, Austin walked away from his home at 1122 Rainey Lake Road in Buchanan around 6:00 PM. Austin was reported missing by his mother around 4:00 PM on Sunday, June 18, 2023, when she realized that he had missed work, which was very unusual for him.

According to Austin’s mother, it was not uncommon for him to go into the woods and stay for a day or two at a time.

The Haralson County Sheriff’s Office, the Haralson County Fire Department, and a K-9 Unit and Deputies from the Carroll County Sheriff’s Office began to search the wooded area around his home after he was reported missing, they searched until dark and called the search for the day.

On Monday, June 19, 2023, the search began again, the search area was widened after a tip was received about Austin being on a RING doorbell camera on Joe Rowell Road.

Helicopters were used in the search for Austin and the search continued until dark Monday night. By Monday afternoon, the Haralson County Sheriff’s Office had located Austin’s cell phone and other items in the woods not far from the original search area.

On Tuesday, June 20, 2023, at 6:50 AM, a 911 call was made by a person who spotted Austin close to School House Road in Polk County Georgia.

Responders went to the area and started to search. Sgt. McAdams and K-9 Janco started the track and when Janco got tired, Polk County School Police Officer Shelton and K-9 Phantom took over.

They were able to determine the area Austin was in and started pushing in to locate him, when one of the searchers got close, Austin did speak to them.

Austin told searchers that he wanted to just stay in the woods, because nature did not judge him for his problems. Austin was taken to Pleasant Hill Baptist Church and was fed; he was then taken for a medical evaluation at a local hospital in Polk County.

The Haralson County Sheriff’s Office would like to thank the Carroll County Sheriff’s Office, the Haralson County Fire Department, the Georgia Search and Rescue Team, the Department of Natural Resources – Ranger and Aviation, the Georgia State Patrol Aviation, The Polk County Police Department, the Polk County School Police, the Polk County EMA, the Polk Fire Department, the Polk County Sheriff’s Office and the Pleasant Hill Baptist Church-Rockmart for their assistance during this search.

We also thank Home Depot for the water and food donated to the searchers. A special thanks the public for all their tips and leads during this missing person search.