An 86-year-old woman and her 89-year-old husband have gone missing in Santa Clara, last seen together around 10 a.m. Friday in the 300 block of North Winchester Boulevard. Police have classified both Mirta Maldonado and Ramon Maldonado as at-risk and are asking anyone with information to call 911 immediately.
issued the advisory Friday seeking public assistance to locate the couple. Mirta Maldonado is described as 5 feet 4 inches tall, weighing about 170 pounds, with gray hair and brown eyes. Ramon Maldonado is described as 5 feet 3 inches tall, weighing approximately 165 pounds, also with gray hair and brown eyes. Their clothing at the time they went missing has not been released.
Where the Couple Was Last Seen
The 300 block of North Winchester Boulevard sits in a busy urban corridor near senior services and healthcare facilities, including the Win Post-Acute care center at 410 N. Winchester and the Agrihood senior development across from Westfield Valley Fair, according to Medicare.gov.
Santa Clara police are asking the public to call 911 right away if they spot either Mirta or Ramon Maldonado.
Why Police Moved So Quickly
Under California Penal Code § 14211, local law enforcement agencies are required by state law to accept missing person reports immediately without any waiting period, giving at-risk cases priority over property crimes, according to Justia Law. The same statute mandates that officers electronically transmit the report to the Department of Justice via the California Law Enforcement Telecommunications System within two hours of receiving it when there is evidence the person is at risk, a process designed to put neighboring agencies on alert almost instantly.
California's Silver Alert system, codified under Government Code § 8594.10, allows law enforcement to request statewide alerts when a missing person is 65 or older, or cognitively impaired at any age, is in danger after local search resources have been used, the circumstances are unexplained or suspicious, and available information could assist recovery, per the California Highway Patrol. Both Mirta and Ramon Maldonado meet the age threshold. It remains unclear whether Santa Clara police have formally requested a Silver Alert through that system for this case.
The Maldonados' Health
Police have not disclosed whether either Maldonado has a diagnosed cognitive condition.
Anyone with information on the whereabouts of Mirta or Ramon Maldonado is urged to call 911 immediately.
