Freeport Woman with Alzheimer's Wanders Off in Middle of Night, Found Safe
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Updated: 3:17 PM Dec 21, 2009
Freeport Woman with Alzheimer's Wanders Off in Middle of Night, Found Safe
A missing Freeport woman with Alzheimer's disease is found early Monday morning in her neighbor’s back yard.
Posted: 2:42 PM Dec 21, 2009
Reporter: Walton County Sheriff's Office
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A missing Freeport woman with Alzheimer's disease is found early Monday morning in her neighbor’s back yard.

According to reports out of the Walton County Sheriff's office, around 2 Monday morning, Robert Edward Perkins, called 911 and reported his wife Thelma DeGraff, who he says has Alzheimer's disease, missing. According to Perkins, he and his wife Thelma had gone to bed around ten o’clock. The dogs woke Perkins a little before two in the morning and that is when he noticed his wife was gone. He searched the inside of their home and the yard and could not locate her; he then called the Sheriff’s Office.

After calling the Sheriff's office, Deputy Sheriff Townsend was dispatched to the home for further investigation. Additional backup was called and Sergeant Jordan and Sergeant Lehman, along with several other Walton County Deputies responded to the scene.

Sergeant Lehman contacted the Walton Correctional Institute and requested to have their K-9 unit activated. Sergeant Godwin, K-9 handler Landingham, and K-9 Charlie arrived on scene at approximately 3:56 a.m. The k-9 unit along with Deputy’s Park and Chapman searched the wooded area around the home. Charlie hit on a bare-foot print in the yard that lead north, he followed the track until he reached the neighbor’s yard. Degraff was found sitting in the yard shaking from the cold night air.

Mrs. Degraff suffered minor scratches from the woods and was transported by EMS to Sacred Heart Hospital in Sandestin, for medical treatment.

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