Rosa Mae Dawson, an 80-year-old woman with dementia, has been missing since Nov. 13 after wandering away from her home in DeKalb County, Georgia.
Family members and law enforcement are seeking public assistance to locate her.
Ricky Dawson, Rosa’s son, told the press that his mother, affectionately called “Rose,” never strays far from her street.
However, when a relative arrived at her home last Wednesday, they found the door wide open and no sign of her inside.
Rosa was last seen near the 2400 block of Jenay Court, wearing a pink long-sleeved pajama set and black shoes. A Mattie’s Call, Georgia’s emergency alert system for missing elderly or disabled persons, was issued shortly after she was reported missing.
Living with Dementia
Rosa has lived with dementia for five years. While she can recognize family members and find her way home, she occasionally has moments of confusion, Ricky explained.
“Every now and then, she’d have spells like, ‘Who is that?’” Ricky said. “But for the most part, I would probably say 75% of the time she had her wits about her.”
Community Efforts and Police Support
Family members have distributed missing person posters throughout the neighborhood, featuring a photo of Rosa alongside the message, “Please Help.”
They plan to join DeKalb County police in a community search on Saturday, Nov. 23, and are inviting others to participate.
“We just want her back home safely,” Ricky pleaded.
Despite the initial Mattie’s Call, Ricky is requesting additional support from law enforcement. “I just want their full support and help,” he said. “This is an area where they have more expertise than we do on how to conduct this and how to get out.”
How to Help
Anyone with information on Rosa Mae Dawson’s whereabouts is urged to contact the DeKalb County Police Department at (678) 406-7929.
