Missing Norwalk Man with Alzheimer’s Located Minutes after Being Reported Missing Using County’s LA Found Bracelet

Norwalk, CA- This afternoon, a 71-year-old Norwalk man with Alzheimer’s was located minutes after being reported missing using the County’s LA Found program. The program is designed to help locate people with Alzheimer’s, dementia, autism, or other impairments who may wander away and go missing.

The man, whose name is Richard, wandered away from his home in Norwalk early this afternoon. Luckily, he was wearing a Project Lifesaver bracelet provided to him in late June by LA County through the LA Found program. The bracelet sends out a signal on a radio frequency which can be tracked to its location by Sheriff’s deputies using a special receiver.

His family reported him missing shortly after 3pm. The LA County Sheriff’s Mental Evaluation Team (MET) was sent to the area and was able to locate him by tracking his bracelet using a hand-held receiver. He was found at 3:50pm, less than an hour after being reported missing. Norwalk Patrol reported that it is unlikely they would have found him so quickly without the LA Found bracelet.

“Richard was found quickly and safely thanks to LA Found and the good work of our Sheriff’s Department MET team,” said Supervisor Janice Hahn. “If you have a loved one who has Alzheimer’s, autism, dementia, or another cognitive impairment, please consider enrolling them in LA Found.”

Richard was found by LA County Sheriff’s Sergeant Kevin Tiwari. To see Sgt. Tiwari explain how LA Found works, watch a video made at the LA Found launch here.

This is the ninth successful save for the LA Found program since it began in September. To learn more about the program and how you can enroll a loved one, visit LAfound.com. 

Attached, photo from today’s save and other photos related to the LA Found program.

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