DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. — A family says their loved one with dementia disappeared for a week. Police put out an alert for the missing man, but the family says no one answered the tip line.
Chelle Mack says her father, 71-year-old Ronnie Mack, has been living with her since being diagnosed with dementia eight years ago.
She told Channel 2′s Tyisha Fernandes that he walked out of the door a week before Father’s Day.
“Immediately, I had the kids knocking on doors. We were walking, calling, screaming his name through the subdivision,” Chelle Mack said.
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She reported her father missing and DeKalb police immediately put out a Mattie’s Call for Ronnie Mack with a number to call.
In Georgia, Mattie’s Calls are used to alert the public to disabled or elderly people who are missing.
Ronnie Mack’s family says when they called all weekend, they did not get an answer.
“My dad had already been missing for four or five days,” she said.
Fernandes called the tip line and someone answered. That person told her the line is generally only answered during business hours Monday through Friday.
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“Maybe we need to revisit systems and processes, you know,” she said.
Ronnie Mack was found on Father’s Day unconscious outside of an Atlanta park. Someone spotted him and called 911.
“He was extremely dehydrated, kidneys dry, but Grady is taking care of my dad,” Chelle Mack said.
She says she almost lost her dad and thinks the tip line should be monitored 24/7.
DeKalb police told Fernandes that they will not be changing their policy and will continue putting out the same tip line number. They say if you can’t get through in an emergency, call 911.
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