Woman missing from assisted living facility found in Chicago

A mentally and physically disabled woman who walked away from her assisted living residence in Cape Girardeau on Saturday was found Monday afternoon in Chicago.

By Monday evening, Lori Rose was en route from a St. Louis airport back to Cape Girardeau.

Rose lives at Maple Crest Manor, 430 N. Frederick St., a residential care facility that allows clients to come and go, as long as they sign out and say what time they will return.

"She's fine. She had a big adventure," said Pam Dirnberger, Scott County Public Administrator and Rose's legal guardian.

Lori James, Scott County deputy public administrator, said she and her boss were "on pins and needles" while Rose was missing. The office oversees the care of 161 incapacitated people, including eight who live at Maple Crest Manor, James said.

Rose left Maple Crest just after 8 a.m. Saturday, according to Dirnberger. When she didn't return after a couple of hours, a Maple Crest employee called Dirnberger. Shortly after that, they notified police.

One reason caregivers were not initially concerned, Dirnberger said, is that Rose frequently takes long walks.

According to James, Rose took a bus to Chicago, though it was not clear how she had money for the ticket.

"She got off a bus there and told a police officer she needed to go to a shelter," James said.

Chicago police called Cape Girardeau police after finding Rose's name on the national database, according to Cpl. Jason Selzer, Cape Girardeau Police Department spokesman.

Dirnberger asked police to make the case public because Rose, 47, has a mental capacity of a "7- or 8-year-old. She makes childish decisions," Dirnberger said.

She's also charming and able to convince someone to pay for a bus ticket to Chicago, Dirnberger said.

"When she got off the plane, I said, 'Lori I don't know whether to spank you or hug you," and she said, "Just hug me,'" Dirnberger said.

After being notified Rose was missing, Cape Girardeau Police added Lori Jean Rose's name to state and national databases of missing and endangered people and sent out a four-person search team Sunday to check the city's walking trails, according to Sgt. Barry Hovis, department spokesman.

Dirnberger said she has been in the process of finding a more secure environment for Rose and was waiting for state approval to transfer her to Belleview Valley Nursing Home, in Belleview, Mo.

Since 2005 Dirnberger has been Scott County public administrator. She said it's rare that a person under county guardianship gets lost, though it happened once to her predecessor.

"There was no negligence, or inappropriateness on the part of the facility. Nobody broke any rule or did something they weren't supposed to do. It happens once in while and I hope it doesn't happen again," she said.

From next to her in the car, Rose said, "Nope. I've learned my lesson."

pmcnichol@semissourian.com

388-3646