WAUKESHA, WI — Waukesha police say 68-year-old Betsy Abts has been found safe after officers issued a Silver Alert for her disappearance. The update came shortly after FOX6 published the alert notice.

Police had said Abts left Waukesha Memorial Hospital and was last seen just before 6 p.m. Friday, Sept. 4, walking on foot. She was described as wearing a black sweatshirt, jeans and a walking boot on one foot.

Officials had identified her as someone with early onset dementia and said she needed to be located quickly. The alert drew attention because of her medical condition and the fact that she was on foot.

Police said Abts left the hospital and was last seen Friday evening

Before she was found, the Waukesha Police Department said Abts had walked away from Waukesha Memorial Hospital. That detail shaped the urgency of the search and the Silver Alert that followed.

Authorities said she was last seen in the area just before 6 p.m. on Sept. 4. At the time, she was on foot rather than in a vehicle, which made the search more difficult for investigators and the public.

Police also said she had a broken ankle and was using a boot on one foot. That added another layer of concern as officers asked people to watch for her.

Description included height, hair color and clothing to help the search

Police gave a detailed physical description to help people identify Abts. They said she is white, 5-foot-8, about 150 pounds, with blue eyes and brown, straight, shoulder-length hair.

At the time she was reported missing, she was believed to be wearing a black sweatshirt and jeans. Officers also said the walking boot was on one foot because of her ankle injury.

Those details were meant to narrow down sightings quickly. In a missing-person case involving someone with a medical condition, a precise description can be the difference between a tip that helps and one that does not.

Police said she had gone missing before and was found near I-94 in Oconomowoc

Abts had also gone missing a few days earlier, according to authorities. Police said she was later found walking along Interstate 94 in Oconomowoc.

That earlier incident showed why officers were concerned enough to issue the alert again. It also suggested she could cover a wider area than her family or police might first expect.

Even after the latest search ended safely, the earlier episode helped explain why the case drew such attention from local officials and the community.

How the public was asked to help

While Abts was missing, police asked anyone with information to contact the Waukesha Police Department at 262-524-3831. The alert asked the public to share any possible sightings right away.

Police warnings like this often rely on neighbors, drivers and people in nearby businesses to spot someone quickly. In this case, the fact that Abts was walking and had been seen in public made those tips especially important.

The alert information was circulated through the Wisconsin Crime Alert Network email system, which helped spread the notice more widely.

Why Silver Alerts matter in cases involving dementia

Silver Alerts are used when an older adult with a cognitive condition is missing and may be at risk. Police used that system here because Abts had early onset dementia and needed to be found quickly.

Cases like this often move fast because time matters. A person who is confused, injured or walking alone can be vulnerable to weather, traffic and disorientation.

In Abts’ case, officers did not have to wait long for the outcome to change. Once police confirmed she had been found safe, the urgent public search ended.

FOX6 update confirmed the search ended safely

The confirmation that Abts was safe came after FOX6 published the original alert based on information shared through the Wisconsin Crime Alert Network. Police then provided the updated status to the station.

That resolved a case that had prompted concern because of Abts’ age, medical condition and the way she disappeared from the hospital area. No additional details were released about where she was found or what happened before the update.

For residents who had been watching the alert, the result was the best possible outcome: the missing woman was located and the search was over.

Local news that matters, from Dulaney Griffin.