Wednesday, July 15, 2009

Elderly Missing From Nursing Home

NM - Authorities continue to search for a 77-year-old man missing from a Las Cruces nursing home for over a week.

The family of Brayton Smoot is now offering a $5,000 reward for information that leads to his safe return.

Police said Smoot walked away from the Golden Mesa Assisted Living Center around 6:30 p.m. on July 3. He is experiencing the onset of Alzheimer's disease and becomes confused.

Smoot is white with blue eyes and thick, grayish salt-and-pepper hair. He is six feet tall and weighs 185 lbs. He wears glasses and he was last seen wearing khaki pants, a plaid shirt and black boots.

Smoot's daughter, Kathy Smoot, told ABC-7 that her father can respond to his name. She said he was last seen on July 6 on Doniphan in West El Paso when he talked to a police officer. New Mexico state police said Smoot has also reportedly been seen near the Hotel Encanto at Telshor/Foothills, at the corner of El Paseo and Idaho and at the Bridge of the Americas.

Kathy said she believes sudden hard times may have caused her father to leave the nursing home. His wife suffered a heart attack in June and is still being treated, and one of his sons died on July 3. The funeral for his son was Saturday.

Kathy says the family is heartbroken and desperately wants their father back.

Anyone with information on the whereabouts of Brayton Smoot is asked to call Las Cruces Crime Stoppers at (575) 526-8000 or outside the Las Cruces area at 1-800-897-2746. You can also contact the Las Cruces Police Department at (575) 526-0795.

Source:
Elderly LC man still missing; family offers reward money

6 comments:

  1. People suspected of having Alzheimers tend to roam, especially at night. Nursing homes are supposed to have tracking on such patients --- and alarms when the doors are opened at night.

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  2. Let's pray that they find him alive and well.

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  3. I hope and pray Brayton Smoot is located very soon or this could have a very sad ending. I am reminded that this could happen to anyone in my family, or to me one day. Aging process is difficult enough without added sadness.

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  4. I hope Brayton Smoot is found very soon -- and he's ok.

    I am sorry for the worry his family is going through until he is found.

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  5. Poor man, he must be very frightened.

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  6. Hopefully, this will prompt the nursing home to improve their security.

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