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A Powell woman who’d been missing since Saturday night was found safe in Big Horn County on Tuesday morning.
Powell police said Erin Barski, 44, was receiving assistance from first responders after being located.
Barski, who works as a paraeducator in the Powell school system, hadn’t been heard from since about 10 p.m. Saturday and police said she’d gone missing under “unknown/suspicious circumstances.” Powell police asked the public to help them locate Barski in a Monday morning Facebook post that included a description of Barski and her vehicle.
Powell Police Jim Rhea said the post wound up reaching some individuals who were staying at a cabin in Big Horn County. He said they spotted Barski’s vehicle on Tuesday and contacted the Big Horn County Sheriff's Office. The agency then initiated a search and found Barski.
It was the type of outcome that police are always looking for in a missing persons case, Rhea said.
“We were super excited that Big Horn [County] was able to locate her,” the chief said, “and even just as excited ... that a member of the community saw our post and used what was on the post to reach out to other responders to get her help.”
Rhea said that’s exactly why his department had publicly shared the information in the first place: While Powell officers were constantly looking for signs of Barski and seeking potential leads on her whereabouts, he noted there are so many more eyes in the community than within law enforcement. The Facebook post was shared more than 900 times while Barski was missing.
In a Facebook update, police thanked everyone who spread the word, saying their “tremendous assistance” made a difference.
(Editor’s note: This story has been updated with information about Barski being successfully located.)
