The search is on in Lynwood for 61-year-old Steven Savage, whose family says he vanished Friday night after he was last seen in the 4200 block of Carlin Avenue. Loved ones are growing increasingly anxious, noting that Savage is deaf, non-verbal, and relies on regular medication.
Savage is described as a white man, about 6 feet tall and 120 pounds, with balding blond hair and blue eyes. Relatives say he was last seen wearing a gray sweater, white shirt, blue jeans, and black shoes. Since he disappeared Friday night, family and friends say they have not heard a word from him.
According to KTLA, the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department was notified on Friday and has classified Savage as an at-risk missing person because of his medical needs and communication challenges. Investigators believe he was last seen at about 8:30 p.m., and relatives have been sharing his photo and description while urging neighbors to review doorbell and security-camera footage for any trace of him. Detectives are asking anyone who thinks they may have seen Savage to contact authorities so they can rule out locations and pursue solid leads.
How to help
Anyone with information about Savage's whereabouts is asked to call the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Homicide Bureau, Missing Persons Detail at (323) 890-5500, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department. For anonymous tips, the public can call LA Regional Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS or submit a report online through LA Regional Crime Stoppers. Investigators are also encouraging residents to check home security footage and share any images that could show Savage, even if the person appears only briefly in the background.
Why the search is urgent
Savage's inability to speak and dependence on medication make him especially vulnerable if he is disoriented or in need of medical care, family members and officials say. Nonverbal or otherwise incapacitated adults can sometimes remain unidentified for long stretches until someone who knows them happens to see them, as documented in a recent case reported by the Los Angeles Times. Savage's family is urging neighbors, local businesses and community groups to share his photo widely and to contact detectives immediately with any information that might help bring him home safely.
