I've hiked many an Appalachian woods. You ain't going far in late spring, early summer, barefoot, in the woods. Greenbriar is nasty, multiflora rose is real nasty, aforementioned black flies, not to mention what's under foot, could be soft leaves, but more than likely all sorts of rock, branches, twigs, logs laying about, maybe some trash heaps, busted glass, cans, shotgun shells, strands of barbed wire, and who knows what all. Just having exposed legs walking through thickets, maybe blueberries, or whatever's growing, skunk cabbage, nettles, you name it, it'd tear you up. I'd never go barefoot or wear shorts walking in untamed wild woods. It would just tear you up. Sure, there's some clear stands of mature pines or spruce, or maybe even some hardwoods. But it'd just be a bad day to have to walk it barefoot, with exposed legs, and no deet.
Anyway, I think there was an abduction of sorts, yes indeed. I saw a dog in one of those house pictures, I guess if they did have a dog, that dog could have just hung out and not bothered with her walking down the driveway. But just as well, a dog could have caused a ruckus if a stranger was about. But maybe not bother if it was somebody familiar.
Anyway, thanks for your post, I thought it was a good one, nice to hear from somebody rather local.