93-Year-Old Alzheimer’s Patient’s Body Discovered

The body of Ana Delacruz, a 93-year-old woman with Alzheimer’s who went missing from her home in Port St. Lucie, was discovered on Saturday night about two blocks away from her residence. The local police department made the announcement on Saturday at 8:40 pm that the woman was found dead in an unlocked vehicle parked in a driveway on the 1900 Block of Southeast Bowie Street. Authorities were immediately notified by an occupant of the residence.

No foul play is suspected at this time, but the search for the woman had been ongoing since she went missing on Friday morning around 9:30 am. She had been new to the area and did not have a cellphone, adding to the difficulty of the search. Agencies such as the Martin County Sheriff’s Office, Florida Fish and Wildlife, and park rangers from the Savannas Preserve State Park had assisted in the search, along with neighbors who also offered their help throughout the past two days.

The search for the missing woman had employed the use of various resources, including drones, ATVs, boats along the waterway, and hound dogs. Despite the efforts invested by the authorities, Acting Assistant Chief Marc DiMeo said that the search was becoming more difficult, citing the factors of her age, late-stage dementia, and the current heat.

Following the tragic news of the woman’s passing, Port St. Lucie police took to social media to share their condolences and offer their prayers to the grieving family. “Our thoughts and prayers are with the family during this extremely sad and difficult time,” the agency wrote in a post on Twitter and Facebook at 10:30 pm on the same day.

Ilyse Buckler, a resident in the area, expressed her sorrow, saying, “My mom lives with us now, and I just thought about her getting lost somewhere. It just broke my heart. It really did.” The tragic incident highlights the importance of ensuring the safety and well-being of vulnerable individuals in our communities.