Family offers details on search that ultimately found missing Albemarle County woman

ALBEMARLE COUNTY, Va. (WVIR) - The family of the Albemarle County woman with Alzheimer’s disease who disappeared while walking her dog says they’ve signed her up for Project Lifesaver.

Virginia State Police activated a Senior Alert early Wednesday, November 8, after 78-year-old Gwen Baber went missing the previous afternoon.

“A lot of details hazy, but essentially she normally went on a walk to get out and stretch her legs,” Austin Baber, her son, said Friday, November 17. “Before she knew it, it was getting dark. And that’s where things went wrong.”

Austin says his mother was dehydrated and hungry when rescue teams found her Thursday, Nov. 9.

“She was she was struggling, but within a day or two she was pretty much back to normal,” he said.

Austin says his mom seemed optimistic throughout the whole ordeal: “She knew she was out and that she was in some sort of trouble, but she also at the same time knew that it was going to work itself out.”

He says Mrs. Baber was found at the top of the mountain above their neighborhood near Free Union Road.

“She was in good spirits and had to snuggle up with our dog every night, and just knew she was going to come home,” Austin said.

The Albemarle County Sheriff’s Office had a Project Lifesaver bracelet ready for Baber as soon as she was found.

“If this were to happen again, we can contact the Sheriff’s Office, and they will come out and help us locate her, and they will do that for anybody,” Austin said.

The family wants to thank all of those who helped to bring Mrs. Baber home safe: “The Baber family expresses our deepest gratitude to the community. Thank you to the dedicated search parties for their tireless efforts and commitment in finding Gwen. Your hard work and selflessness will never be forgotten.”

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