An 83-year-old nursing home resident reported missing Sunday evening in Mt. Vernon was found safe early Monday morning inside a closed section of Deaconess Illinois Crossroads Hospital.
Mt. Vernon Assistant Fire Chief Bryan Jennings said the search began around 7 p.m. Sunday after the nursing home determined the man, who has dementia, was missing.
Mt. Vernon Police and Fire personnel, along with Jefferson County Fire and EMS, searched for approximately five hours before severe thunderstorms forced crews to suspend the effort around midnight.
Police were notified around 4 a.m. Monday that the man had been found sitting in the hospital’s former emergency room. He reportedly told officers he was waiting for the cleaning crew.
Officials said it was unclear how the man gained access to the closed portion of the hospital.
Jennings said the primary concerns during the search were the extreme heat and approaching thunderstorms.
The nursing home where the man resides has not been identified by fire officials.