Family Searches For Missing Homestead Woman With Alzheimer's Disease
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HOMESTEAD (CBSMiami) – The loved ones of 57-year-old Miriam Pichardo say they will not rest until they find her. And they vow to continue passing out and posting flyers of the Homestead woman until they accomplish their mission.
Pichardo, who has early on-set Alzheimer's Disease, was last seen Saturday morning while taking out the garbage at her Homestead home.
Her relatives said she has only left home once before without telling anyone but was found fairly quickly.
Pichardo's emotional husband, daughter and daughter-in-law fought back tears as they spoke with CBS4's Peter D'Oench as they passed out flyers late Wednesday morning in the area of N. 11th St. and Krome Avenue in Homestead.
Carlos Pichardo said that he was desperate to find the love of his life and the mother of their three children.
"I need help from the community," said Carlos Pichardo. "Everybody please check out this picture. Look at my wife. Please. Help me please."
"It's your mom," said Pichardo's daughter Lucia Moc. "You have to be out there doing everything you can. It's my Mom. We have to help her. My Dad is desperate. We are all desperate. She needs to come home."
Moc told D'Oench, "She is without food and medicine and shelter. It breaks our heart to think she is out there without food."
Pichardo left all of her belongings, including her medicine, at her home.
"She has only done this once before," said Moc, "but we found her really quickly."
Police are even searching in the Keys because Pichardo had worked at a number of places in the Keys before.
"Since Alzheimer's patients have been known to go back to places they know," said Moc, "maybe she'll be going back to where she used to work and used to visit.
"She was wearing a white and green stripe-like nightgown with black sandals. She has really curly hair, grey hair. She is about 160 to 170 (pounds)."
Pichardo's daughter-in-law, Patricia Pichardo, broke down in tears as she said, "She's my mother-in-law. She is the only family I have in this country. She is like my Mom. She's a very good woman. I have been with the family for 15 years. This is just too much for us. We need help. We really need help from the community.
"Please call the police. This is very sad for all of these things. This is very difficult for the family. Please help us."
Up to five percent of people who have Alzheimer 's disease have early on-set Alzheimer's. It often appears when someone is in their 40s or 50s.
Pichardo's family members said they would continue to pass out flyers every day and night until she was found.
Homestead Police have responded to a number of alleged sightings but none one of them have checked out.
Chopper4 was over the scene of one such sighting Wednesday afternoon at S.W. 117th Ave. and S.W. 190th St. but that did not check out.
Homestead Police said anyone who thinks they have seen Pichardo should call them at (305) 247-1535.