Avon police are searching for 74-year-old Sherry Patterson, who went missing early Tuesday morning and is believed to be wandering on foot somewhere near Black Oak Court West. Patterson suffers from dementia, and officers say she may need medical assistance. She was last seen around midnight wearing a pink ankle-length nightgown, leaving investigators and neighbors racing against the clock to find her.
The Avon Police Department has asked the community to help locate Patterson, who is described as 5 feet 7 inches tall and about 140 pounds, according to Fox 59. Anyone with information is asked to contact 911, and Hendricks County 911 can also be reached directly at (317) 839-8700. Her disappearance comes as Avon, a Hendricks County suburb just west of Indianapolis that has grown to more than 25,000 residents, continues to expand, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
Why Dementia Makes Every Hour Count
Cases like Patterson's carry heightened urgency because of how common and dangerous wandering can be for people living with cognitive decline. About six out of ten people with dementia or Alzheimer's disease will wander from their surroundings at least once, often repeatedly, per the Alzheimer's Association. Medical research cited by the Cleveland Clinic Health Essentials notes that up to half of missing individuals with Alzheimer's or dementia who are not found within the first 24 hours face severe injury or death, since cognitive impairment can leave them unable to seek shelter or navigate hazards along the way.
The Indiana State Police can activate the Silver Alert program through the Indiana Clearinghouse for Information on Missing Children and Missing Endangered Adults, using emergency broadcasts and highway message boards to spread details statewide, according to the Brownsburg Police Department.
How the State's Alert System Has Evolved
The clearinghouse itself dates back to 2009, when the Indiana General Assembly created it, and lawmakers expanded Silver Alert eligibility in 2018 to include missing endangered children, as reported by WTHR.
Anyone with information about Patterson's whereabouts is asked to contact 911 immediately. The Indiana Clearinghouse also maintains a 24-hour toll-free hotline at 1-800-831-8953 for citizens and officers to report sightings or leads, according to the La Porte County Sheriff's Office. Patterson's disappearance adds to a sizable backlog of open cases statewide; Indiana State Police statistics reported by WTHR in 2024 showed more than 1,100 active missing persons cases across the state at that time.
