POLK COUNTY, Fla. – Two adults and two children were rescued from the Circle B Bar Reserve near Lakeland on Saturday night after getting lost on a trail. The group faced approaching severe weather and nearby alligators in the dark, while the stormy conditions prevented emergency crews from deploying search drones.
A call came into the Polk County Emergency Communication Center at approximately 9:08 p.m. on Saturday, June 27, 2026. A woman on the line reported that she and her small group had lost their way while walking through the Circle B Bar Reserve near Lakeland.
The group consisted of two adults and two children.
As nighttime set in, the situation grew urgent. The Polk County Sheriff’s Office reported that the lost family became increasingly anxious as darkness fell and the local weather took a turn for the worse. Their anxiety was compounded by the presence of alligators spotted along the trail.
Deputies from the sheriff’s office and crews from Polk County Fire Rescue rushed to the reserve to begin a ground search. The deteriorating weather quickly created tactical hurdles for the rescue teams, as the wind and rain made it impossible for deputies to launch a drone to help spot the family from the air.
Responders searched the park trails on foot. About 40 minutes after being dispatched to the scene, Deputies Annucci and Toms, along with the responding firefighters, located the missing group.
The first responders guided the adults and children out of the park during a heavy downpour. Visuals released by the Polk County Sheriff’s Office documented the rescue, including a photograph of Deputy Annucci carrying a young girl out of the storm.
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