On July 3, 2009, police responded to 3461 Whitman Ct., to a call of an endangered missing adult. Oscar Nieves, age 78, had walked away from his residence at approximately 8:45 p.m., and did not return. Nieves suffers from alzheimers. Police are trained that those with azheimers disease often go toward water when they wander from home. Adjacent to Nieves’ residence is a wooded area and several lakes. Police began searching for Nieves through thick underbrush and rough terrain. Polk County Sheriff’s Office utilized their helicopter to assist in the search, as well as K-9 bloodhounds. Officers searched throughout the night. At daylight, officers launched pontoon boats and continued to search the lakes and surrounding area for any sign of Nieves.
At approximately 8:00 a.m, Officer Todd Edwards and Public Service Aid Darlene Melius were searching from the bank of Lake Somerset (directly west of Nieves’ residence) when they observed Nieves in the water. Rescuers were able to pull Nieves to safety. Nieves was pale and shivering and was believed to have been in the water for approximately 10 hours. Nieves did not appear to have suffered any other type of trauma to his body. Nieves was transported by ambulance to LRMC. At last report, Nieves was being treated for hyperthermia and is expected to make a full recovery.
For tips to prevent wandering with Alzheimer’s Disease, see the Mayo Clinic site: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/alzheimers/HQ00218,
and for more information on Alzheimer’s Disease the Alzheimer’s Foundation site is: http://www.alzfdn.org/.
Media inquiries should be directed to Sgt. Terri Smith, pager 863.981.0196.
Sergeant Terri Smith
