Missing Twentynine Palms woman located with help from K-9 ‘Naji’
Cynthia White
TWENTYNINE PALMS, Calif. (KESQ) – A 64-year-old woman who went missing from her Twentynine Palms home was located Monday after a search led by Morongo Basin Sheriff’s deputies and their K-9 unit Naji.
According to the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department, deputies responded to a missing person report after the woman’s daughter discovered her mother, who is diagnosed with dementia, was not at their home on Athol Avenue. The woman was last seen on Saturday, September 20, around 11:00 a.m.
Family and friends had searched the area without success before contacting law enforcement for help.
Deputies launched a search, assisted by K-9 handler Deputy Bakker and K-9 Naji, who tracked the victim’s scent heading north from the home.
During the tracking, deputies recalled seeing a woman matching the description of the victim in the same area. Deputies checked at several local businesses, which confirmed the victim was seen in the local area.
The search expanded into the unincorporated Joshua Tree area. After hours of tracking, at just before 12:30 a.m. Monday, K-9 Naji led deputies to the woman more than 15 miles away, near Twentynine Palms Highway and Sunset Road.
Officials said the victim was found safe but was transported to a local hospital for evaluation as a precaution.