Silver Alert issued for area woman
Published 8:00 pm Sunday, April 1, 2012
Law enforcement officials and volunteers were continuing the second night of a search for a missing Smithdale woman Saturday.
A Silver Alert was issued Friday for Roxie Wells Wilkinson, 79, who was last seen around 2 p.m. Friday on Peterson Road in Franklin County walking away from the home of her daughter and son-in-law.
Peterson Road in located in the southeast corner of Franklin County near the Lincoln County line.
Sheriff James Newman of Franklin County described Wilkinson as a white female, about 5 feet, 8 inches tall weighing about 150 pounds. She has brown hair and blue eyes. She was last seen wearing a pink blouse, white pants and white Crocs footwear, Newman said.
Wilkinson has Alzheimer’s disease and a heart condition and has no medication with her, the sheriff said. She is also without her glasses and is not carrying any identification.
Newman said Wilkinson was reported missing shortly after 2 p.m. Friday and the Silver Alert was issued around midnight.
Anyone with information about Wilkinson’s location may contact the Franklin County Sheriff’s Department at 601-384-2323 or the Mississippi Highway Patrol at 601-833-7811.
Speaking from the scene of a search, Newman said volunteers have tried to cover a mile perimeter around the residence she was last seen.
“We’re trying to run a grid search as well as possible,” Newman said. “(We) haven’t been able to come up with anything yet.”
Newman said a search began Friday and lasted until 3 a.m. Saturday.
“I went and got a three-hour nap and got back on it,” Newman said.
As many as 75 volunteers have been involved, including law enforcement and fire department officials from Franklin, Lincoln, Amite, Pike and Copiah counties. The Mississippi Highway Patrol and search dogs from Pike County and the Louisiana State Penitentiary are also part of the search.
Civil Defense Director Clifford Galey and Lincoln County volunteer firefighters have been in Franklin County aiding the search effort, said Lincoln County Sheriff Steve Rushing.
The Lincoln County Sheriff’s Department has not become involved as of Saturday, Rushing said.