Rochester police say missing California woman with dementia found safe

ROCHESTER, Minn. (FOX 9) - The Rochester Police Department said a missing 84-year-old California woman with dementia has been found safe. 

According to a social media post at 8:30 a.m. on Tuesday, police said the woman was located in the area of Fox Valley Drive Southwest and West Circle Drive. 

Details from the initial endangered missing persons alert can be found below. 

Missing woman in Rochester

What happened:

The 84-year-old woman, who was diagnosed with dementia in 2022, traveled to Rochester on Monday with her husband and daughter for an upcoming appointment at Mayo Clinic. 

The family took a shuttle to Kahler Grand Hotel after arriving from California. The daughter reported last seeing her mother around 5 p.m. in their room, where family members had fallen asleep. Hotel staff contacted authorities just after 10:20 p.m. to report her disappearance, according to a Minnesota BCA alert. 

While searching the area, officers received a report from a citizen who said they saw a woman matching her description around 7:30 p.m. walking north on 1st Avenue Northwest from Central Park.

Description:

The woman is described as "very petite" at 5-foot-2, weighing 100 pounds with black hair and brown eyes. She was last seen wearing a gray-colored sweatsuit. She also has a surgical scar after having her appendix removed last month.

Police say the woman does not have a cell phone or other personal items with her. She has no known family members or associates in Minnesota, and is in town for an appointment on Aug. 19.

In an update on Tuesday morning, police said the woman had been located. 

"RPD thanks the community for their assistance in helping ensure her safe return," said police.