Dog squad assists Sterling Heights police in rescuing missing 80-year-old dementia patient

STERLING HEIGHTS, Michigan. – Sterling Heights police rescued an 80-year-old man with dementia.

The rescue occurred Wednesday (July 17) in the 34126 block of Colonial Drive, where Thomas was walking away from his home.

Thomas’ wife, Delores, told officers she was worried about her husband.

She told officers that she woke up and found that he was no longer home and that he had left the house and gotten lost several times before.

Officials say Delores checked her Ring doorbell and found Thomas walking out the front door at 6 a.m.

Delores explained to officers that Thomas’ mental deterioration had worsened, which is why the family was constantly monitoring him with a tracking device.

Delores gave officers her phone and tracker app, which showed Thomas in the woods south of the BAE Systems property (34201 Van Dyke Avenue).

The tracker app showed Thomas between Mound Road and Van Dyke Avenue, an area with several acres of heavily wooded land.

While attempting to obtain further location updates on the tracker, officers discovered that Thomas’ GPS tracker was broken and unable to update his location.

Officers said they searched the area surrounding the large wooded area but were unable to locate Thomas.

Officers used a drone to locate Thomas along with a police dog and a dog chip.

Officers said they discovered a small driveway about a half-mile west of Van Dyke Avenue that appeared to lead into the woods and ended at the edge of the woods at the rear of the BAE property.

After about an hour and a half, Thomas was found about three-quarters of a mile west of Van Dyke Avenue in the woods by K9 Chip/

According to officials, Thomas was lost and did not know where he was and had to be helped to escape from the dense forest area.

Thomas was found bleeding from multiple cuts on his hands. The Sterling Heights Fire Department rendered him medical attention before he was safely released to Delores and her son.