A Pima County neighborhood watch group activated their telephone chain and found an elderly woman after an extensive search by law enforcement agencies. Their call to action “provided a great example of the value of these citizen groups,” according to the Pima County Sheriff’s Office.
On December 8, 2012, at about 8:20 p.m., the Pima County Sheriff’s Department was notified by an adult care home in the 10500 block of E. Roger Road that one of their patients, Guillermina Lopez, age 71, had gone missing. Deputies learned that Ms. Lopez had only been at this care facility for one day and was last seen at about 7:20 p.m.
After an unsuccessful search by staff members of the care home, they called 9-1-1. Deputies set up a command post to organize the search operation. Besides the Sheriff’s Department airplane, deputies with the Search and Rescue Unit responded together with a dozen volunteers from the Southern Arizona Rescue Association (SARA). Additionally, canine handlers with Southwest Rescue Dogs and volunteers with Southern Arizona Mounted Search and Rescue (SAMSAR) responded to assist.
Ms. Lopez was last seen on the patio of the care home wearing a grey sweater and grey pants. Ms. Lopez suffers from dementia and is diabetic. The initial search was suspended in the early morning hours. The operation resumed at 8 a.m. with additional help from Border Patrol’s BORSTAR K-9 Unit, the Arizona Department of Corrections who sent canines and two helicopters with Customs and Border Protection.
A neighborhood watch group who had seen reports about the missing woman on local news casts activated their telephone chain and asked all members to check their yards and properties. The homes are all located in close proximity to the care facility from where the female went missing. As a result of this “call to action”, one neighbor located the missing female in the desert area behind her house and contacted 9-1-1 at approximately 11:50 a.m.
Ms. Lopez was found lying on the ground and approximately 0.3 miles away from her care facility. It was unknown how long she had been at this location. She was transported to St. Joseph’s Hospital for further evaluation. The Sheriff’s Department is offering its thanks to all volunteers for their efforts, and the agencies who sent additional resources to assist in the search effort and the neighborhood watch group.