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Search team finds missing elderly woman

 

The Sheriff's Search and Rescue Team located a missing elderly woman Wednesday evening after she apparently walked away from her east side residence.

According to a release from Sonoma Police Chief Bret Sackett, the Sheriff's Office received a call at about 2:30 p.m. that the woman, who is in her 70s but suffers from dementia, apparently walked away from her home in an unknown direction.

The family spent more than an hour trying to locate the woman before calling authorities.

The Sheriff's Office launched an extensive search that included assistance from the Sonoma Police Department, the Schell-Vista Fire Department, Sonoma Valley Fire and Rescue Authority, City of Sonoma Public Works Department and the California Highway Patrol. Henry-1, the Sheriff's helicopter was also combing the area.

Sackett said numerous citizens joined in the search efforts by looking around their homes and adjoining neighborhoods. Some people reported possible sightings as far as three miles away.

At about 6 p.m., the Sheriff's Search and Rescue team arrived and assisted in the coordination of the search efforts.

At about 7:45 p.m., members of the Search and Rescue team located the missing woman in some blackberry brambles just a short distance from her home. She was weak, but responsive.

The woman was transported to the Sonoma Valley Hospital, where she was treated and reunited with her family.