Post by LadyBlue on Nov 11, 2004 13:44:56 GMT -5
A woman described as schizophrenic who was found aimlessly riding city buses this summer has been identified as a 62-year-old woman reported missing in February in Cleveland.
Police are baffled at how the woman, Adrene Shuford, traveled from Ohio to Colorado Springs with no money, credit cards, identification or socks.
''I think people feel sorry for her and take care of her,'' police Detective Jennene Scott said, theorizing the woman survived on handouts.
Shuford remained at the state psychiatric hospital in Pueblo Wednesday.
Shuford was identified Monday after one of various names she gave led police to Cleveland, where the woman had been admitted to the Alpha Two group home.
A missing person report filed by the home said she was last seen getting on a bus Feb. 25 for an adult day care program.
The report said Shuford is schizophrenic, likes to ride buses and had no known destination. The case was closed after a month, said Cleveland police spokesman Lt. Wayne Drummond.
He said Shuford was under no legal obligation to stay at the group home so police stopped looking for her.
''She voluntarily left on her own. According to our detective, they made the missing person report strictly as a matter of protocol,'' Drummond said.
A bus driver called authorities Aug. 3 and police had been trying to identify Shuford since then.
The El Paso County Department of Human Services, her court-appointed legal guardian, plans to move her to a private facility where the woman can pay for her stay with her Social Security checks.
Cleveland police and the manager of the group home said the woman has no family and may have been wandering from city to city for years.
''I was in shock when I got the call from your police department, that she was out there. How did she get so far?'' said Elaine Martin, manager of the group home.
Police are baffled at how the woman, Adrene Shuford, traveled from Ohio to Colorado Springs with no money, credit cards, identification or socks.
''I think people feel sorry for her and take care of her,'' police Detective Jennene Scott said, theorizing the woman survived on handouts.
Shuford remained at the state psychiatric hospital in Pueblo Wednesday.
Shuford was identified Monday after one of various names she gave led police to Cleveland, where the woman had been admitted to the Alpha Two group home.
A missing person report filed by the home said she was last seen getting on a bus Feb. 25 for an adult day care program.
The report said Shuford is schizophrenic, likes to ride buses and had no known destination. The case was closed after a month, said Cleveland police spokesman Lt. Wayne Drummond.
He said Shuford was under no legal obligation to stay at the group home so police stopped looking for her.
''She voluntarily left on her own. According to our detective, they made the missing person report strictly as a matter of protocol,'' Drummond said.
A bus driver called authorities Aug. 3 and police had been trying to identify Shuford since then.
The El Paso County Department of Human Services, her court-appointed legal guardian, plans to move her to a private facility where the woman can pay for her stay with her Social Security checks.
Cleveland police and the manager of the group home said the woman has no family and may have been wandering from city to city for years.
''I was in shock when I got the call from your police department, that she was out there. How did she get so far?'' said Elaine Martin, manager of the group home.