The search for 78-year-old Bettye Williams, an Oakland resident with dementia, came to an end as the Oakland Police Department announced she had been safely located. The community played a pivotal role alongside media partners to ensure Williams was found after she had been reported missing earlier this month.
Williams had last been seen on December 2, around 9:00 p.m. wearing a black dress in the 1000 block of 101st Avenue. Due to her condition, authorities had urged the public to actively look out for her, emphasizing the urgency as time steadily ticked away. According to an alert from the Oakland Police Department, Williams was considered at risk and her safe return was of paramount concern to both her family and law enforcement.
Described as a Black female, standing at 5'2" and weighing 170 pounds, with gray hair and brown eyes, Williams' disappearance sparked a city-wide search. Details circulated widely on social media and local news outlets, with both the Oakland Police Department and Hoodline releasing descriptions and contact information for anyone who might have information pertaining to her whereabouts.
In cases involving individuals with dementia, the potential for them to quickly become disoriented, even in places they may otherwise know well, only adds to the urgency of locating them swiftly. The Oakland Police’s appeals to the public made clear the increased risks, stressing the importance for anyone and everyone to immediately call in any potential sightings to the OPD Missing Persons Unit.
