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Missing US woman found alive 42 years later | Missing US woman found alive 42 years later |
(2 days later) | |
A New York woman who vanished 42 years ago has been found living with dementia in an elderly care home in Massachusetts, police say. | A New York woman who vanished 42 years ago has been found living with dementia in an elderly care home in Massachusetts, police say. |
Flora Stevens went missing in August 1975 after her husband dropped her off at a doctor's appointment in Monticello, New York. | Flora Stevens went missing in August 1975 after her husband dropped her off at a doctor's appointment in Monticello, New York. |
Investigators located Mrs Stevens while working on a separate cold case. | Investigators located Mrs Stevens while working on a separate cold case. |
Police who interviewed the 78-year-old said they have not been able to confirm her whereabouts due to her condition. | Police who interviewed the 78-year-old said they have not been able to confirm her whereabouts due to her condition. |
Mrs Stevens was a 36-year-old employee at a Catskills resort when she disappeared in Monticello, about 70 miles (110km) from New York City. | Mrs Stevens was a 36-year-old employee at a Catskills resort when she disappeared in Monticello, about 70 miles (110km) from New York City. |
Police solved the case when a New York state investigator contacted the Sullivan County Sheriff's Office in September about skeletal remains found in Orange County, New York, that roughly matched the description of Mrs Stevens. | |
Sheriff's Detective Rich Morgan searched federal and state databases to locate a relative of Mrs Stevens for a DNA sample to help identify the remains when he discovered that someone had been using her social security in Massachusetts. | Sheriff's Detective Rich Morgan searched federal and state databases to locate a relative of Mrs Stevens for a DNA sample to help identify the remains when he discovered that someone had been using her social security in Massachusetts. |
"It's not too often we get to solve a 42-year-old missing-person case," Sullivan County Sheriff Mike Schiff said in a statement. "The main thing is we know Flora is safe." | "It's not too often we get to solve a 42-year-old missing-person case," Sullivan County Sheriff Mike Schiff said in a statement. "The main thing is we know Flora is safe." |
She was using the name Flora Harris when detectives tracked her down at an elderly care facility Lowell, about 23 miles (37km) northwest of Boston. | She was using the name Flora Harris when detectives tracked her down at an elderly care facility Lowell, about 23 miles (37km) northwest of Boston. |
Detectives on Tuesday showed her an old photo ID from the Concord Hotel, where she had been working at the time of her disappearance. | Detectives on Tuesday showed her an old photo ID from the Concord Hotel, where she had been working at the time of her disappearance. |
"She says 'that's me', or 'me,'" Detective Morgan said. | "She says 'that's me', or 'me,'" Detective Morgan said. |
"She responded with one word, 'me,'" he explained. | "She responded with one word, 'me,'" he explained. |
Her medical records showed that she had lived in care homes in New Hampshire and New York City before she arrived in Lowell in 2001. | Her medical records showed that she had lived in care homes in New Hampshire and New York City before she arrived in Lowell in 2001. |
Investigators added "because of her illness, it is still a mystery how and why she disappeared". | Investigators added "because of her illness, it is still a mystery how and why she disappeared". |
She has no living relatives and her estranged husband died in 1985, according to police. | She has no living relatives and her estranged husband died in 1985, according to police. |
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