1 Week Later, Search Ongoing For Missing Country Club Hills Woman, 78

COUNTRY CLUB HILLS, IL — The family of an elderly woman missing from her Country Club Hills home for more than a week continue their search, as they grow increasingly concerned for her safety.

Yolanda Howell, 78,suffers from dementia, and was last seen Oct. 9 at 1 p.m., leaving her home at 187th and Cedar Avenue on foot, her granddaughter Javanna Plummer said. As time passes and temperatures drop, the situation becomes more urgent.

"We’re worried," Plummer told Patch, "but we’re trying to stay optimistic."

Country Club Hills police have deployed a drone, helicopter, and K9 police to aid in the search. A police K9 late last tracked Howell's scent to a nearby forest preserve, Plummer said, but the scent was lost in the woods.

Family on Thursday were on foot searching Cook County Forest Preserve Vollmer Road Grove. Police also planned to search two ponds located within the preserve, Plummer said. The family has contacted local hospitals, but none have record of nor have seen Howell, she said.

If Howell is not found by Saturday, police have told Plummer they will have to stop the search.

"We don’t know if she’s eaten, if she’s used the bathroom," Plummer said. "... If she’s showered. We don’t know her (mental) state. It’s very cold out now, and all she had on was a hoodie."

Howell is described as 5 feet, 7 inches tall, weighing roughly 130 pounds. She has brown eyes and brown, shoulder-length hair. She was believed to be wearing a black Guess hooded sweatshirt and blue gym shoes, Plummer said.

Anyone with information about Howell's location is urged to contact the Country Club Hills Police Department at (708)798-3191, or 911.