An 80-year-old Beachwood woman with Alzheimer's disease has been missing since Wednesday afternoon, and police are asking anyone who spots her or her car to call right away. Janis Cochran left her residence on Glennhill Drive around 3:30 p.m. and never came back, according to police.
Police are concerned for her safety because of her Alzheimer's diagnosis, as reported by Cleveland 19 News. Cochran is described as 5 feet 6 inches tall and weighing 130 pounds, with brown hair and brown eyes. She was last seen wearing a maroon jumpsuit.
What to Look For
Cochran is believed to be driving a silver 2018 Toyota Corolla bearing Ohio license plate HKF1511, per the outlet's report. Anyone who sees her or the vehicle is urged to call 911 immediately. Residents can also reach the Beachwood Police Department directly at (216) 464-1234 with any information.
Cases like Cochran's touch a large number of Ohio families. More than 236,200 people in the state are living with Alzheimer's, according to the Alzheimer's Association Cleveland Area Chapter. The chapter also notes that 452,000 Ohio caregivers dedicate 679 million hours of unpaid care each year, underscoring how often families and neighbors end up on the front lines when a loved one with dementia goes missing.
A Longstanding Push for Alert Systems
Concerns about helping find missing people with cognitive impairments are not new in Ohio. A 2007 report from the Dispatch described a proposed statewide alert system that would have notified other law enforcement agencies and sent information to newspapers and radio and television stations to alert the public. That reporting described a proposal from nearly two decades ago, not current law or procedure.
For now, the search for Cochran remains focused on Beachwood, where police continue to ask residents to keep an eye out for the maroon jumpsuit, the silver Corolla, and the Ohio plate HKF1511. Anyone with information is encouraged to contact police right away.
