Missing 80-year-old’s remains found months after she vanished on walk, Arizona cops say
A missing 80-year-old woman’s remains were found on an Arizona mountain more than six months after she disappeared, police and multiple news outlets reported said.
Roberta Braden left her home in Phoenix to go on a walk on May 1, KPNX and the Phoenix Police Department said.
She was never seen again.
When a Silver Alert was issued for Braden in May, authorities said she had a medical condition that could cause her to become confused. She was also known to become easily lost, the alert said.
Hundreds of people searched for her in the desert, nearby neighborhoods, hospitals and shelters and mental health care facilities, according to a Facebook group created to find Braden.
But after a month of looking, she still never turned up.
Then, on Nov. 21, remains were found in a remote part of South Mountain, police said.
A week later, tests confirmed the remains belonged to Braden, police said.
Investigators said there were no signs of foul play.
“We are writing this with a heavy heart to let you know that on November 28th, 2022, we confirmed our mother’s final resting place. Her dental records were a match to the discovery,” Braden’s sons’ Derek and Justin Powell wrote on Facebook.
“It’s not the outcome that any of us wanted, but at least our family has closure.”
This story was originally published December 1, 2022 at 11:50 AM with the headline "Missing 80-year-old’s remains found months after she vanished on walk, Arizona cops say."
