Missing woman found alive in deep freezer

TULSA, Okla. - A four-day search ended Wednesday when a missing woman was found alive in a deep freezer in Tulsa, Okla.

Police said 59-year-old Theresa Christian hadn't been seen or heard from since Saturday.

"She wasn't answering the phone or anything like that, so I came by here last night, about 10:30, knocked on the door, knocked on the door, and I couldn't get a response or anything," said Christian's son, Jermal Stewart.

Stewart and other family members had been searching for her.

Tuesday, Christian's brother, William Andy Jr. and others actually went into the apartment and did not find her.

"We went through the house calling out her name and stuff and couldn't get a response or anything," Andy said.

Stewart went back to the apartment early Wednesday and had the apartment's maintenance crew unlock the door again.

"I heard her say 'Help me, help me,'" Stewart said.

He said that's how he found her.

"She was in the closet, in the kitchen, in the deep freezer, and I opened the door and she was sitting in there," Stewart said.

According to Stewart, the door to the closet was closed, but the lid of the freezer was open and she was sitting up inside and couldn't move.

"Yeah, my mom takes a lot of medications, and it mixes with her system and it don't give her an appetite at all," he said.

Investigators said Christian couldn't tell them how she got in there, but she may have been attempting to take shelter.

"Possibly that she thought maybe there was a tornado coming, but they're not really sure why or how she got there," said Tulsa police Cpl. Daisy Vallely.

Family members are relieved she was found alive.

"I'm very thankful man, I'm very very thankful," Stewart said.

Investigators say Christian had severe freezing on her legs; hospital officials say she's listed in serious condition.

No foul play is suspected.