GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. — An elderly woman was safely reunited with her family thanks to the persistence of a Gwinnett County police officer and a concerned citizen who refused to leave her side.
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On Sept. 12, Gwinnett County Police Officer Voss with the Behavioral Health Unit responded after a Good Samaritan found the woman alone and unable to find her way home.
Authorities said the citizen had driven around with her for some time, hoping to recognize her neighborhood, before calling police for help.
The situation was complicated by a language barrier as the woman did not speak English, leaving Voss with little information to go on.
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Using translation tools and creative problem-solving, Voss worked to gather any identifying details that could help determine where the woman lived or who her family might be.
After nearly an hour with no clear answers, Voss took the woman to the Gwinnett Fire Station 18, where she could be checked out, given water, and cared for while police continued the search.
Refusing to give up, the GCPD said Voss kept thinking outside thebox.
Voss eventually gathered enough details to share with analysts at the Situational Awareness and Crime Response Center, who were able to find the woman’s address.
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Shortly after, Voss safely returned the woman home just as her family was beginning to realize she was missing.
According to authorities, her family had believed she was visiting a friend.