Did They Find the Woman Who Fell in a Sinkhole in Kissimmee Florida?

On April 18, 2025, a sinkhole opened up suddenly in a quiet neighborhood in Kissimmee, Florida, swallowing a woman’s car and part of her backyard. The hole was 20 feet wide and 15 feet deep, with jagged edges that made rescue efforts dangerous. For three days, the town held its breath. News crews gathered. Neighbors left candles and flowers. Social media buzzed with updates. The question everyone asked: Did they find the woman who fell in a sinkhole?

The Day the Ground Opened

The incident happened just after 7 a.m. near the intersection of Old Lake Wilson Road and Cypress Lane. Maria Rodriguez, 58, had just pulled out of her driveway in her 2019 Honda Civic. She was heading to her job at a local dental office. Witnesses say she didn’t scream. The ground gave way silently - no warning crack, no rumble. Her car dropped straight down, leaving only the roof visible for a few seconds before vanishing.

Her husband, who was still inside the house, heard the thud and ran outside. He saw the hole, her car’s license plate still dangling from the frame, and no sign of her. He called 911 immediately. By the time first responders arrived, the sinkhole had widened by another three feet, swallowing part of the concrete driveway and a small oak tree.

Rescue Efforts Under Pressure

Emergency teams from Osceola County, the Florida Geological Survey, and even a private drone company from Orlando rushed in. The sinkhole sat on unstable limestone bedrock - the same kind that causes most sinkholes in central Florida. Water from a broken underground pipe had been seeping for months, slowly eating away at the soil beneath the house.

Rescuers used ground-penetrating radar to map the hole’s shape. They found a narrow tunnel beneath the car, possibly created by the collapsing soil. They feared Maria might be trapped in that space. Drones with thermal cameras scanned the area. Robots with cameras crawled into the edges of the hole. For 36 hours, they found nothing but debris - a shoe, a purse, the car’s airbag.

Then, on the third day, a team from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection noticed something unusual. The water level in the sinkhole had dropped slightly. That meant the water table had shifted - and that could mean the void underneath had collapsed further. They drilled a small borehole 12 feet to the side. Inside, they found a small pocket of air. And then, a faint tapping sound.

The Discovery

At 2:14 p.m. on April 21, 2025, rescuers pulled Maria Rodriguez out alive. She was covered in mud, bruised, and dehydrated - but conscious. She had been trapped in a small air pocket between the car’s undercarriage and the collapsed soil. She’d survived by clinging to the driver’s seat, breathing slowly, and tapping on the metal frame every hour to signal for help.

She told rescuers she didn’t know how long she’d been down there. She remembered the car dropping. She remembered the darkness. She remembered thinking about her grandkids. She didn’t cry. She didn’t panic. She just waited.

She was rushed to Osceola Regional Medical Center. Doctors said she had minor fractures in her left wrist and a concussion, but no internal injuries. Her survival was called a miracle by the medical team. One paramedic said, "I’ve seen sinkholes take cars. I’ve seen them take houses. But I’ve never seen someone survive one like this."

Why This Happened in Kissimmee

Kissimmee sits on the Floridian aquifer system - a layer of porous limestone that holds groundwater. Over decades, water flows through it, dissolving the rock and creating underground cavities. When the soil above gets too heavy - from rain, construction, or aging pipes - it collapses. That’s how sinkholes form.

Central Florida has more sinkholes than any other part of the U.S. The state averages 200 sinkhole claims a year. Kissimmee, with its old neighborhoods and aging infrastructure, has seen more than 15 major sinkholes since 2010. The one that swallowed Maria’s car was the largest in the city in 14 years.

The city later confirmed that a 40-year-old water main under her property had been leaking since 2022. The city’s records showed they’d been notified of low pressure in that line - but no repairs were scheduled. The state’s geological survey called it "a preventable tragedy."

What Happened After

Three weeks after the rescue, Maria Rodriguez gave her first interview. She didn’t want money. She didn’t want fame. She just wanted the city to fix the pipes. "I’m lucky," she said. "But someone else won’t be."

Her home was declared unsafe. The city bought the property and demolished the house. A small memorial now sits where her driveway once was - a bench with a plaque that reads: "For those who fell, and those who held on."

Florida lawmakers introduced a new bill in May 2025 - the Sinkhole Disclosure Act - requiring homeowners to disclose known underground water leaks when selling property. It passed the state senate in October. It’s now awaiting the governor’s signature.

What You Can Do If You Live in Florida

If you live in Kissimmee, Orlando, or anywhere in central Florida, here’s what you should know:

• Watch for small cracks in your driveway, walls, or floors - especially if they’re growing.
• If your yard suddenly sinks or your trees lean at odd angles, get a professional inspection.
• Know where your main water line runs. Older homes (built before 1980) are at higher risk.
• Ask your city for a sinkhole risk map. Kissimmee’s is free and online.
• Homeowners insurance in Florida covers sinkholes - but only if you have optional sinkhole coverage. Most policies don’t include it by default.

After Maria’s story went national, insurance sales for sinkhole coverage in Osceola County jumped 400% in two months. People aren’t waiting anymore.

What’s Left

The car was recovered in pieces. It’s now stored in a state facility as evidence. The sinkhole was filled with engineered grout and compacted soil. Grass is growing back. The neighborhood is quiet again.

But if you walk by that corner on a quiet morning, you might still see someone stopping to look down. Not out of fear. Out of respect. For the woman who didn’t give up. For the people who didn’t stop looking. For the ground that can’t always be trusted.