An extensive search for a missing 71-year-old man with dementia concluded as Marietta police confirmed that Cartha Speed was found safe after hours of relentless searching. Speed, a resident at the Marietta Center for Nursing and Healing, had left the facility unobserved around noon on Tuesday and was discovered over five hours later, walking near Delk Road, several miles from the assisted living center.
According to a report by FOX 5 Atlanta, the search involved multiple divisions of law enforcement including drone operators, and K-9 units, and they were aided by helicopters the dedicated team formed grid searches to scan the area thoroughly, they also received help from local community members who joined in the effort to locate Speed. Marietta Police Officer Chuck McPhilamy expressed concern about Speed's vulnerability, stating, "He is suffering from early stages of dementia, he has hypertension and anxiety." The facility alerted the authorities as soon as they realized Speed was missing and saw through their video system he had left around 12:15 p.m.; they immediately began an organized search and allocated additional staff resources to assist.
Upon his discovery, Speed was not injured, but as a precaution, was taken to a nearby hospital to be checked out, shared by WSB-TV Channel 2 Action News. Speed's daughter, Amedia Murphy, expressed her relief and gratitude in a statement obtained by FOX 5 Atlanta, "I'm really happy he's safe and grateful for all the authorities and all the help, had a lot of friends and family and people in the community came together to help."
To improve safety measures, the Marietta Center for Nursing and Healing is likely reviewing protocols to ensure a similar incident does not occur, as the vulnerability of patients with cognitive impairments such as dementia requires constant vigilance and has become a critical concern in eldercare, ensuring their well-being remains paramount in their hands and care. Officer McPhilamy's detailing of the resources used in the search underscores the imperative of community and professional cooperation when responding to such emergencies, which unfortunately, somehow he managed to wander out of that facility," he told FOX 5 Atlanta.
