A 65-year-old Apopka man who relies on a cane, walker or scooter to get around has not been seen since last Tuesday, and police are asking the public to help bring him home. Robert Lee Britten was last seen in Apopka on October 13, and officers have classified him as missing and endangered.
Florida law defines a “missing endangered person” to include an adult 26 or older whom law enforcement suspects is endangered or a victim of criminal activity, as well as adults who meet Silver Alert criteria. The category is distinct from an alert itself: a person’s classification as missing endangered does not establish that a Silver Alert has been activated. The state’s statutory definition sets out who falls within the category.
Britten is described as 6 feet 1 inch tall and weighing about 150 pounds, with short black and partially gray hair, according to WFTV. He was last seen wearing a white T-shirt and jeans. Police say he walks with a noticeable limp and needs the use of a cane, walker or scooter to move around.
Police Ask Public to Watch for Him
Apopka police are asking for the public's help finding Britten, according to the same report. Given his mobility needs, anyone who spots a man matching his description without his cane, walker or scooter nearby could be a key lead for investigators.
Florida’s alert programs have separate eligibility rules. A Silver Alert requires a person to be at least 60—or meet a different age-related provision—and to have an irreversible deterioration of mental faculties verified by law enforcement; mobility limitations alone do not establish that criterion. Florida’s Purple Alert law includes some adults with physical disabilities, but also requires a credible threat of immediate danger or serious harm, a need for law-enforcement intervention to return the person to safety, and that Silver Alert criteria do not apply. FDLE outlines the Silver Alert criteria.
Anyone with information about Britten's whereabouts is urged to call 911 in an emergency or reach the Apopka Police Department's non-emergency line at 407-703-1757, per the station's report. Officials have not released additional details about where he was last seen beyond Apopka or any further identifying information.
