Shirley Obert Falls into Hidden Well While Seeking Help After Accident
Authorities in Monroe County, Georgia, confirmed Sunday that 67-year-old Chick-fil-A employee Shirley Obert died after falling into a deep well while seeking help following a car crash. The Monroe County Sheriff’s Office discovered Obert’s body at the bottom of a well hidden by thick brush near the location where her vehicle was found. The tragic incident began Saturday morning when Obert, who was on her way to work in her Mazda Miata, crashed into a forested area near Oxford Road and Abercrombie Road. Officials indicate no foul play is suspected in what they are calling a “tragic accident.”
5 Key Points
- While driving to work, Shirley Obert, 67, crashed her Mazda Miata around 7 a.m. on Saturday, March 29, 2025.
- After the crash, Obert called her husband, who was unable to locate her when he arrived at the scene.
- The Monroe County Sheriff’s Office issued alerts asking residents to look for Obert, wearing her Chick-fil-A uniform.
- Authorities found Obert deceased at the bottom of a deep well surrounded by thick brush near her crashed vehicle.
- Officials determined Obert fell into the well while attempting to seek help after surviving the initial car accident.
What Happened During the Initial Car Accident?
Shirley Obert was driving to her job at Chick-fil-A early Saturday morning when she was involved in a single-vehicle accident. According to Anna Watkins, the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office’s public information officer, the crash occurred around 7 a.m. and involved Obert’s Mazda Miata. The details of what caused the initial accident remain unclear. Still, authorities confirmed that Obert was the vehicle’s sole occupant when it veered off the road and into a wooded area near Oxford Road and Abercrombie Road in Monroe County, Georgia.
Despite the crash, Obert survived the initial impact with apparently minor enough injuries to allow her to exit the vehicle and attempt to find assistance. The location of the accident in a forested area likely complicated her efforts to orient herself or find a clear path to safety. The rural setting, approximately 60 miles southeast of Atlanta, features dense vegetation that would have made navigation difficult for someone potentially disoriented from a recent crash.
After the accident, Obert managed to use her cell phone to contact her husband. She described her location to him, and he immediately traveled to the area where she indicated she had crashed. Despite his efforts, Obert’s husband was unable to locate her at the described location. This prompted the family to contact local authorities, who quickly mobilized search efforts to find the missing woman.
The Monroe County Sheriff’s Office initiated a search operation Saturday morning, utilizing both officers and public alerts. They specifically noted that Obert, with gray hair, was wearing her distinctive red Chick-fil-A uniform at the time of her disappearance, hoping this detail would make her more easily identifiable to anyone who might spot her in the area.
How Was Obert Discovered and What Caused Her Death?
The search for Shirley Obert concluded with a tragic discovery on Sunday, approximately 24 hours after the initial accident. “It is not the outcome that we were hoping for. She was found deceased at the bottom of a deep well that was surrounded by very thick brush, near where her car was found,” stated the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office in their update about the situation. The well, which was hidden by dense vegetation, had apparently been impossible for Obert to see as she navigated through the brush seeking assistance after her crash.
Investigators determined that Obert had survived the car accident with injuries that still allowed her to walk and seek help. According to the Sheriff’s Office, “Mrs. Obert appeared to have been trying to go for help when this incident occurred.” The density of the surrounding brush likely obscured the well opening, creating a deadly hazard for someone walking through the area, wildly if they were already disoriented from a recent crash trauma.
Authorities have not specifically disclosed the depth of the well, but it was described as “deep” in official statements. Monroe County’s rural landscape includes many older properties that may have abandoned wells or similar hazards that can become overgrown and difficult to spot, particularly in areas with thick natural vegetation. These factors created the perfect conditions for this unusual and tragic accident.
Officials have ruled out any suspicious circumstances in Obert’s death. The Sheriff’s Office stated, “There is no foul play believed to be involved” and characterized what happened as “a tragic accident.” The investigation appears to have concluded that Obert’s death resulted from the fall into the well rather than from injuries sustained in the initial car crash. However, complete medical examiner reports have not yet been made public.
What Has Been the Community Response to This Tragedy?
The news of Shirley Obert’s death has resonated deeply within the Monroe County community, particularly among her colleagues at Chick-fil-A, where she had been employed. In their final update on the situation, the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office acknowledged the impact of this loss, saying, “Please keep her family and her coworkers in your thoughts and prayers.” The restaurant where Obert worked has not yet issued a formal statement about her passing.
At 67, Obert was notably older than many fast-food workers, representing the growing demographic of retirement-age Americans who continue working in service industry positions. Her early Saturday morning commute suggests she may have been heading to help with breakfast service, one of the busiest times for Chick-fil-A restaurants. The loss affected her coworkers, who likely worked closely with her during morning shifts.
The incident has also raised community awareness about hidden hazards in rural areas. An unmarked, unprotected well surrounded by vegetation represents a potential danger many residents may not consider when traversing wooded areas. Local safety advocates may use this unfortunate incident to push for better identification and securing of abandoned wells and similar hazards throughout the county.
Search efforts for Obert had involved both official law enforcement personnel and community members responding to the Sheriff’s Office’s public alerts. The transition from a missing person case to a recovery operation has been difficult for all involved, particularly given the unusual circumstances of finding her in a hidden well after she had survived the initial car accident. The compound tragedy of surviving one potentially fatal incident only to fall victim to another has made this story particularly poignant for the local community.
FAQ
Q: What exactly happened to Shirley Obert?
A: Shirley Obert, a 67-year-old Chick-fil-A employee, was involved in a single-vehicle accident while driving to work on Saturday morning, March 29, 2025. After surviving the crash, she attempted to find help but tragically fell into a deep well hidden by thick brush near where her car had crashed. She was found deceased at the bottom of the well approximately 24 hours later.
Q: Where did this incident occur?
A: The incident occurred in Monroe County, Georgia, near Oxford Road and Abercrombie Road. This is a rural area approximately 60 miles southeast of Atlanta. The specific location where Obert’s car crashed was described as a forested area.
Q: Why was Obert unable to be found immediately after the crash?
A: According to reports, after the crash, Obert called her husband and described her location. When he arrived at where she said she was, he was unable to find her. The wooded, brushy terrain likely complicated search efforts and Obert may have moved away from her vehicle, seeking help and eventually encountering the hidden well.
Q: Is there any suspicion of foul play in Obert’s death?
A: No. The Monroe County Sheriff’s Office has explicitly stated there is no foul play believed to be involved in Obert’s death. They characterized the incident as “a tragic accident,” noting that she appeared to have been trying to go for help when she fell into the well.
Q: What type of vehicle was Obert driving?
A: Obert was driving a Mazda Miata at the time of the accident, according to information provided by the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office’s public information officer.
Q: How was Obert initially identified as missing?
A: The Monroe County Sheriff’s Office issued public alerts on Saturday, March 29, advising residents near Oxford Road and Abercrombie Road to look for a 67-year-old woman with gray hair wearing a red Chick-fil-A uniform who had been involved in a car accident and might be lost in the area.
Q: Are abandoned wells a common hazard in rural Georgia?
A: While specific statistics weren’t provided in the source materials, rural properties throughout the United States, including Georgia, sometimes contain old, abandoned wells that may become obscured by vegetation over time if not properly sealed or marked. This incident highlights the potential dangers these structures can pose.
Citations
People Magazine. (March 30, 2025). Chick-fil-A Worker Survives Car Crash Just Before Falling to Her Death While Trying to Get Help: Police. https://people.com/chick-fil-a-worker-survives-car-crash-just-before-falling-to-her-death-while-trying-to-get-help-11706615
AOL News. (March 31, 2025). Chick-fil-A worker, 67, survives car crash — only to fall to her death in hidden ‘deep well’ as she tried to get help: cops. https://www.aol.com/chick-fil-worker-67-survives-213827224.html
Yahoo News. (March 31, 2025). Chick-fil-A Worker Survives Car Crash Just Before Falling to Her Death While Trying to Get Help: Police. https://ca.news.yahoo.com/chick-fil-worker-survives-car-043037617.html
