Authorities announced Monday afternoon that they had found unharmed an elderly man with diminished mental capacity who less than 24 hours earlier had wandered away from the Lake Bluff Health Care facility, a residential extended-care facility, according to the Lake County sheriff’s office.
Joe Butler, 73, was found in a heavily wooded area a short distance from the facility. Apart from a few insect bites, he appeared to be in good condition. He was taken to Lake Forest Hospital for observation.
Staff members from the Lake Bluff health-care facility, located at 700 Jenkisson Ave., were among those who helped to search for Butler. Officials there had reported Butler missing late Sunday evening.
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Assisting sheriff’s deputies in the search for Butler were dogs from the sheriff’s canine units and a helicopter with infrared heat imaging technology capabilities.
Lake County Sheriff Gary Del Re expressed his gratitude to all the people in the community who had come together to search for Butler.
“The sheriff’s office experienced a huge response from you, and it is very reassuring that so many people can pull together on behalf of a total stranger in need of help,” said Del Re.