Missing Huntersville man found safe after 6-hour search

HUNTERSVILLE, N.C. — Officials told Channel 9 that an elderly Huntersville man reported missing overnight has been found and he is safe.

Police and fire crews in Huntersville were searching for hours for 75-year-old Charles Stephens, who suffers from dementia, and found him just before 6 a.m.

An ambulance was sent to the scene where Stephens was found as a precaution.

Officers told Channel 9 that Stephens was last seen around 9 p.m. Tuesday.

A Sliver Alert had been issued for Stephens and emergency responders had set up a command post and were searching for him along Pembroke Road, near Beatties Ford Road and Mount Holly-Huntersville Road.

Several agencies helped in the search and Channel 9 learned that the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department had sent their helicopter and K-9 units to assist.

Huntersville police said Stephens has dementia and was last seen in bed at his home off Pembroke Road. He was reported missing around midnight.

Stephens was last seen wearing blue jogging pants and a gray sweatshirt. Relatives told Channel 9 that he has disappeared twice before but was found nearby very quickly.

Family members also said Stephens was suffering from a leg injury and did not think he could have walked very far from the home.

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