Group gathers to search for missing Union County woman

UNION COUNTY, N.C. (WBTV) - Dozens came out Thursday to help search for a woman who disappeared in the small town of Marshville.

It’s been more than a week since anyone has heard from Alison Thomas. Deputies are searching for her, but so far there’s been no word on where she is or what happened to her.

Signs, pictures and desperate pleas are in just about every window and store in Oakboro as the town and family members desperately search for Thomas.

On Thursday morning, a large group gathered at the Food Lion along Alonzo Road in Oakboro to search nearby land. The search party was organized via Facebook.

The 37-year-old was last seen on Feb. 13 in the area of Flint Ridge Road in Marshville, amidst hundreds of acres of farmland.

“It’s a daunting task,” Deputy Chief Tony Underwood with the Union County Sheriff’s Office said of the search efforts. “We’re looking for every piece of information out there.”

Underwood said authorities jumped on the case as soon as they learned Thomas was missing, but several days had passed between when she was last seen and when her disappearance was reported to investigators.

“There’s a period of four days where we don’t know where she was [or] if she’s safe,” Underwood said.

While investigators and the community continue the search, Thomas’ family members said their focus right now is doing their best to hold each other up in what has been a difficult time.

Anyone with information regarding Thomas is asked to call 911 or the Union County Sheriff’s Office at 704-283-3789.

Union County Crime Stoppers are offering up to a $5,000 reward to anyone who can provide information that helps locate the missing woman.

Related: Union County deputies searching for missing woman

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