Silver Alerts Help Bring Edmond Residents Home

It's an alert system used in nearly every state.

Tuesday, January 6th 2015, 7:34 pm

By: News 9


It's an alert system used in nearly every state. Silver Alerts send out urgent information for missing elderly adults. Sadly, News 9 gets several of these alerts every week, but police said it's because of them that missing people are found.

Edmond police issued two of these alerts in the past week. But both people were back home with family within 24 hours thanks to public recognizing them from the Silver Alerts.

Headed to a doctor's appointment, Ronald Donaldson left his Edmond home around 9:30 a.m. last Wednesday. But when he never showed up, Donaldson's family became concerned since he has mild dementia.

Police tracked Donaldson using his debit card he used twice once in Muskogee another time in Norman.

And police said it's thanks to the media that Donaldson got home safely.

“The convenience store worker had seen the story on the news, either online or on television, and recognized the vehicle description and was able to call us,” said Jenny Monroe, Edmond Police Department.

It was the same story for Ann McGuire Monday. Her husband dropped her off Monday afternoon at the Kennedy Tires on Edmond Road. When he got home and she'd not returned, he called police.

McGuire also suffers from dementia and Alzheimer's.

Several hours later, McGuire stopped in Union City to ask for directions back home.

Police said the man thankfully recognized her from the news and alerted police.

“Oklahoma as a state has been a leader in the Silver Alert Program. In fact, it's a partnership that has grown between the media and law enforcement,” said Monroe.

And it's that partnership that has helped hundreds of missing Oklahomans find their way back home.

Police said if you're worried about a loved one driving with dementia or Alzheimer's, use these recent Silver Alert cases to start that conversation.

Former Governor Brad Henry signed legislation permanently establishing the Silver Alert program back in 2009.

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