Detroit police are asking the public for help finding Reginald Graham, a 70-year-old man who went missing after being discharged from a local hospital. He was last seen hanging out with friends on Blaine Street in the city's Petoskey-Otsego neighborhood around 2:30 p.m. on Wednesday, and he hasn't been located since.
According to ClickOnDetroit, Graham was wearing a black jacket, a black hat and a blue polo shirt when he was last seen. Police describe him as a bald Black man standing about 5 feet 4 inches tall, weighing approximately 175 pounds, with brown eyes.
What Police Want the Public to Know
Officers say the Petoskey-Otsego neighborhood sighting is the last confirmed location for Graham, and they have not released additional details about the circumstances of his hospital discharge or which hospital he left. The report does not say whether Graham has since been found, leaving his current whereabouts unknown.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Detroit Police Commander Phillip Rodriguez of the 10th Precinct at 313-596-1000. Tips can also go to Crime Stoppers of Michigan at 1-800-SPEAKUP, or be submitted through Detroit Rewards TV.
A Pattern of Hospital-Discharge Disappearances
Graham's case echoes other recent Detroit missing-person reports involving people who went missing shortly after leaving medical facilities. In one instance, Detroit police searched for 34-year-old Elizabeth Murphy after she was last seen near Henry Ford Hospital on West Grand Boulevard and the John C. Lodge Service Drive, according to audacy.com, which reported that Murphy had left wearing a gray hospital gown and had not been seen since.
In a separate case, police asked for help locating 59-year-old Robin Thomas, who had been missing since she was discharged from Henry Ford Hospital and last seen leaving the facility on West Grand Boulevard near the Lodge Freeway on a Wednesday, October 8, per a report from audacy.com.
How Detroit's Alert System Works
Detroit does maintain an Emerald Alert system for certain missing-person cases, though it's unclear whether one was issued for Graham. Emerald Alerts are sent to subscribers of the city's existing 365 Alerts system, according to BridgeDetroit, and can be used for missing children age 10 and under, people with special needs, non-domestic kidnapping of an adult, and cases where foul play is suspected.
The system's track record shows how quickly these alerts can help. BridgeDetroit reported that the Emerald Alert system was first used to help locate 74-year-old Marjorie Louise Brown Kilpatrick, who was found less than an hour after an alert went out, a day after she had been reported missing. In another case cited by the outlet, police said three teenage girls named in a later alert were found the same night. Anyone with information related to an Emerald Alert case can call the Emerald Tipline at (313) 833-7297, though it remains unknown whether that system applies to Graham's case.
For now, Detroit police are relying on the public's help to find Graham, who was last seen among friends on a Wednesday afternoon in a neighborhood where neighbors knew him. His family and investigators are hoping someone recognizes his description and comes forward with information.
