A 78-year-old Virginia Beach man with dementia was reported missing after walking away from his home on the 800 block of Kings Arms Drive around 7:30 p.m. Monday, prompting a Critically Missing Adult Alert. Virginia Beach police later reported that Steven Edward Wilkins was found safe Monday night, according to 13News Now. Wilkins has gray hair, blue eyes, stands 6 feet tall and weighs 236 pounds, according to police.
Virginia State Police issued the alert after authorities determined Wilkins's disappearance poses a credible threat to his health and safety, as reported by 13News Now. Wilkins was last seen walking away on foot, and local police designated the situation a credible threat due to his diagnosed dementia, per that report. WAVY.com reports that he was possibly wearing khaki pants, a white t-shirt, a light brown jacket, and a white baseball cap when he vanished.
How the Alert System Works
Virginia's Critically Missing Adult Alert — commonly known as an Ashanti Alert — can be activated for any adult 18 or older, including those with cognitive or developmental disabilities, whose whereabouts are unknown and whose disappearance poses a credible threat to their health and safety, under Code of Virginia § 52-34.10. Local law enforcement must conduct an initial investigation before requesting state activation. Once Virginia State Police activate an alert, the Everbridge Public Warning platform is used to send notifications through the Emergency Alert System.
Under Virginia Code § 52-34.12, local police agencies that locate a missing adult subject to an active alert must immediately notify Virginia State Police so public warning systems can be promptly cleared, preventing confusion once a person is recovered. The framework was enacted by the General Assembly in 2018 following the 2017 abduction and murder of 19-year-old Ashanti Billie in coastal Virginia, designed to close a public warning gap for missing adults who do not meet AMBER Alert criteria, as Hoodline has previously reported.
Why Wandering Poses Urgent Risk
Six out of 10 people living with dementia will wander at least once, according to the Alzheimer's Association, creating urgent public safety risks because disoriented individuals are vulnerable to traffic hazards, harsh weather, and medical emergencies. People with dementia may become confused about their location, and caregivers are advised to meet basic needs. Authorities stress that prompt notification in the initial hours after someone goes missing is crucial for recovery.
Kings Arms Drive is in Virginia Beach.
Second Alert Active Same Day
Wilkins's alert was not the only statewide alert involving Virginia Beach issued Oct. 5. Virginia State Police issued a separate statewide CODI Alert for 13-year-old Elisa Ruth Brewer, who went missing from Kings Grant Road on Sept. 27, Hoodline has reported separately. Virginia State Police broadcast Brewer's alert. In August, state police issued a similar Critically Missing Adult Alert for 50-year-old Cleveland transit official Dr. Floun'say Caver after he vanished while visiting Hampton under severe personal stress.
Anyone who spots Wilkins or has information on his location is asked to call the Virginia Beach Police Department Detective Bureau at 757-385-4101.
