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Breaking: Beyond Headlines!

Unicoi County announces end of active search for Rosa Maria Andrade Reynoso
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Unicoi County announces end of active search for Rosa Maria Andrade Reynoso

After a month of searching, emergency crews are no longer actively searching for the body of Rosa Maria Andrade Reynoso, the last person missing from Unicoi County following the devastating Sept. 27 floods.

Crews have “exhausted their efforts” to find Reynoso, Jim Erwin, director of the Unicoi County Emergency Management Agency, told Knox News. Reynoso will continue to be missing until her remains are found, he said. Construction crews will continue to watch for signs of a body as they work, he continued, but emergency crews are no longer participating in searches.

THE mother of two children is one of at least 10 employees of Impact Plastics who clung to the back of a tractor-trailer as the Nolichucky River rose around them. The truck was struck several times by debris and eventually overturned, throwing employees into the surging waters.

Everyone on board was swept away, although some were later rescued by a Tennessee National Guard helicopter.

Knox News confirmed the deaths of five Impact Plastics employeesalthough state officials have not identified any of the employees by name. These workers are Sibrina Barnett, Monica Hernandez, Bertha Mendoza, Johnny Peterson and Lidia Verdugo.

Several employees said – including in a lawsuit filed by Peterson’s family − that Impact Plastics managers did not allow employees to leave the factory until it was too late.

The company denied forcing its employees to stay until it was too late. THE Tennessee Bureau of Investigation launched an investigation into the company, and so does the Tennessee Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

Washington County emergency crews are actively searching for two missing people, Steven Cloyd and Nancy Tucker, Sheriff’s Office spokeswoman Susan Saylor told Knox News on October 29.

Tyler Whetstone is an investigative journalist focused on responsible journalism. Connect with Tyler by emailing him at [email protected]. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @tyler_whetstone.