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Police Looking for Leads in Case of Missing 89-year-old Woman
By Laurie Jervis, Noozhawk Staff Writer | 
1:45 p.m. | Published on 06.29.2009
A Santa Barbara woman is the subject of a massive search by the Santa Barbara Police Department after she wandered away from her Cliff Drive home Saturday afternoon.
Metta Thomsen, 89, was first reported missing by a relative at her home, according to police reports. Thomsen suffers from Alzheimer’s and dementia, and this is the second time she has gone missing from the home she shares with her son, authorities said.
Santa Barbara Lt. Ralph Molina described Thomsen as 5 feet 7 inches tall with gray hair. She was last seen wearing jeans, a blue blouse, white tennis shoes and a tan coat.
Thomsen’s home is located in the 3300 block of Cliff Drive, just east of Hope Ranch, above Hendry’s Beach, according to police, and officers have been combing the beach and cliffs since Saturday. Due to her age and mental conditions, and the possibility that Thomsen has been exposed to nighttime temperatures, she remains an at-risk missing person.
Assisting in the nearly two-day-old search have been Santa Barbara County Search and Rescue members, the Harbor Patrol, three California Rescue Dog Association (CARDA) search dogs, one San Luis Obispo County Search and Rescue team dog and many Santa Barbara Police Department personnel, according to Sgt. Lorenzo Duarte, public information officer.
The dogs and their handlers searched Thomsen’s home, and followed her scent trail into Hope Ranch. On Sunday, the search teams continued to search throughout Hope Ranch, and some of the search dogs tracked Thomsen to the west side of the lake along Las Palmas Drive. The sheriff’s department dive team responded and searched a large portion of the lake, Duarte said, but Thomsen was not found.
The formal search for Thomsen was concluded at 5:40 p.m. Sunday, Duarte said, because searchers had exhausted all possible search locations based on the scent track information received from the canines. However, police detectives are still actively working the case, Duarte said Monday afternoon. Anyone with information on the possible whereabouts of Thomsen is asked to call the police department at 805.897.2335 and ask for the Crimes Against Persons section.
As part of the search, the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Department conducted a reverse 9-1-1 call to residents in the Mesa area, Duarte said; in addition, many Hope Ranch residents were contacted about Thomsen on Sunday.
— Noozhawk staff writer Laurie Jervis can be reached at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).
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» on 06.29.09 @ 09:22 AM
I’m very sorry to hear this, and hope that this woman is found safe and sound. There is a bracelet, similar to a medical id bracelet that can be worn by people suffering from the illnesses that this woman has that would allow them to be found when lost. As described to me, it’s got a GPS chip in it that has so far had a 100% success rate - it’s not activated unless the people are reported missing, and after it’s been activated, they are located quickly. Something to strongly consider by anyone who had a friend or relative with diminished mental capacity who might wander off and become lost.
» on 06.30.09 @ 10:27 AM
Thank you so much for the tip ‘Sending Good Thoughts’. I will get one of these bracelets for my mother. I feel for this family, and hope Metta is found soon. I feel that my family’s situation is very similar, and I worry about this very situation.
» on 06.30.09 @ 11:10 AM
The chip seems like a wonderful thing that could be used for children and the elderly.
My prayers are for Metta’s safe return.
» on 07.01.09 @ 02:32 AM
I too hope that this woman is found safe very soon. It is an excellent idea to get those bracelet for children as well as for elderly people in this type of situation. It needs to be difficult to remove so that if a child is taken, then the kidnapper would not be able to remove it!
» on 07.01.09 @ 02:53 AM
Metta should be wearing a device to locate her. She went missing before. That should have not happened again without some sort of tracking device. Since the women last year went missing for days on the mesa, our law enforcement can not literally afford to go search for these elderly people. The real facts that they could die from exposure is another issue that is very important! Please to all of you that read this. GET YOUR LOVED ONES A DEVICE SO THIS DOES NOT HAPPEN TO YOU OR TO THEM! THANK YOU! God bless, Metta while she is lost and I hope with all of my heart that she is found safe and soon!
» on 07.01.09 @ 06:12 AM
My dear Metta I love you. Remember those wonderful years at G.V.J.H.S. and Santa Barbara City College.
» on 07.01.09 @ 08:33 AM
If you are interested in getting one of these fantastic bracelets, please contact your local Alzheimers Association or the Santa Barbara County Sheriffs Department.
» on 07.02.09 @ 02:17 PM
Let’s remind each other that this son and daughter have set aside much, much of their own living to provide mom with her quality of life. Hats off, respect and honor upon them for choosing her dignity and joie de vivre on a one day at a time basis.
Culturally, I understand the rule of thumb is 3 times to call upon police or fire to assist with child or senior issues. Services people are there for that very reason…to address emergencies.
» on 07.07.09 @ 01:43 AM
I haven’t seen any updates, as yet. It is now July 7, 2009. Could it be possible an update be provided? Prayers that she is found. This is truly very sad. For those who have family members who may also be capable of wandering, whether it be alzheimer’s , dementia or autistic..there is a service that is free to enroll your loved one now…before they go missing. They work with police depts so should one wander away, the family phones 911 and presents their loved one’s code and information is instantly accessed with photographs and data for the police. It’s a no charge service. http://www.missingpatient.com
Prayers that Metta is found and is well.
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