A 70-year-old Georgia mother who disappeared after relatives thought she had stepped outside to smoke a cigarette has been found dead in a nearby lake.
Authorities said Joanne Howell was last seen late Friday afternoon at her home in Ellenwood, a community southeast of Atlanta.
Howell, who had Alzheimer’s disease and dementia, was discovered dead three days after she was reported missing, according to local outlets WSB, WUPA and WAGA. Her body was found in Misty Lake, not far from her neighborhood.
Investigators believe Howell may have wandered away from the house and drowned in the small lake a short distance from the property.
Still, her family said they are struggling to understand how she reached the water. Loved ones told local media that Howell’s mobility had been sharply restricted by rheumatoid arthritis and two total hip replacements.
Her daughter, Jacquelyn Daniel, said Howell typically could not walk much farther than a stop sign up the street before turning around and heading home.
Officials have not yet released a formal cause of death, and the investigation into the circumstances surrounding Howell’s disappearance and death is continuing.
‘Nowadays you see people say things don’t happen in your neighborhood. You can never tell,’ Pam Parham, who lives just a few houses down from Howell, told WSB-TV.
Joanne Howell, 70, of Georgia, was found dead in a neighborhood lake just three days after she was reported missing from her home
Howell was last seen at her Ellenwood home late Friday afternoon, when family members believed she had stepped outside to smoke a cigarette
Howell, who suffered from Alzheimer’s and dementia, was found dead in nearby Misty Lake – a small, private body of water
Police said it appeared Howell had wandered away from her home before drowning in the lake
‘And I’m praying that – hate that she’s deceased – but praying that it was a drowning and not someone got killed and put out there,’ she added.
The grim discovery came days after the elderly mother was reported missing, having last been seen around 6pm in the 2600 block of Satellite Terrace, according to DeKalb County Police.
At the time, Howell, who was described as 5-foot-4 and weighing 134 pounds, was wearing a pink bonnet with black dreadlocks underneath and a white shirt.
Her disappearance prompted a Mattie’s Call to be issued the following day – Georgia’s emergency alert system for missing disabled or elderly people.
Meanwhile, family members spent the weekend searching for her, but to no avail.
It was not until Monday morning that DeKalb County Police responded to the 3900 block of Misty Lake following reports of a body in the water.
Around 7am, neighbors said they saw fire crews and crime scene tape set up near the private lake behind their homes as water rescue teams entered.
The medical examiner arrived around 9am and removed the body on a stretcher before clearing the area by 9.30am. Authorities confirmed shortly before noon that the body was Howell.
It remains unclear how Howell made her way to the lake, as loved ones said her mobility was severely limited by rheumatoid arthritis and two total hip replacements
Howell’s disappearance prompted a Mattie’s Call to be issued – Georgia’s emergency alert system for missing disabled or elderly people
Around 7am, neighbors said they saw fire crews and crime scene tape set up near the private lake behind their homes
An official cause of death has yet to be determined at this time as the investigation remains ongoing
Tyraa Gabriele shared a statement on Facebook on behalf of Howell’s daughter, Jacquelyn Daniel, whom she described as her cousin, writing: ‘Sadly, she is no longer with us.’
‘We are deeply grateful to everyone who prayed, shared her information, searched, checked their neighborhoods, and offered support to the family during this incredibly difficult time,’ she added.
‘Your love, concern, and willingness to help meant more than words can express.’
The statement asked the community to keep Howell’s family and loved ones in their thoughts as they process the heartbreaking loss, while also respecting their privacy and allowing them time to grieve.
‘Rest peacefully, Aunt Joanne,’ Gabriele added. ‘Thank you all for helping us bring her home.’
