Police Use Device to Find Missing Alzheimer's Patient

An elderly White Plains Alzheimer's patient who wandered from her home Wednesday evening is back with her family thanks in part to technology police had at their disposal during the search.

White Plains Police notified Westchester County police of the missing woman at about 8:26 p.m. The woman was last seen in the area of Idlewood Rd. and Harstdale Ave., said Kieran O'Leary, a spokesperson for the county police.

The woman had enrolled in Project Lifesaver, and was wearing a bracelet that emits a radio signal traceable by police, O'Leary said. Police picked up the signal at about 9:12 p.m. and followed it to the intersection of Prospect St. and S Lexington Ave where the woman was found, O'Leary said.

Police believe the woman traveled about 1.3 miles before she was located. The woman was returned safely to her daughter.

Two county police officers, Kathleen Cristiano and Christopher Neuhs, had been trained to use the Project Lifesaver equipment and helped with the search, O'Leary said.

Police say this is the ninth time officers from the Department of Public Safety have used Project Lifesaver equipment to locate a missing client since the program was implemented in August 2008.

The project is sponsored by the Department of Senior Programs and Services and the Department of Public Safety in partnership with the Hebrew Home for the Aged in Riverdale and International Project Lifesaver.

For more information on Project Lifesaver, please call (914)-368-5506.