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| Missing: Celso Heredia |
Senior citizen Celso Heredia is missing from the hospital where he's a patient.
The NYPD reports that the 81-year-old Hispanic man was last seen yesterday, July 24th, at 3:45 p.m., at Long Island College Hospital (LICH). He is 5'7" tall and has brown eyes and gray hair. He was last seen wearing a blue plaid or striped shirt, blue jeans, black sneakers, and a baseball cap.
Mr. Heredia has been a patient at LICH since June 15th. On that day, police officers responded to a 911 call about a man walking in a lane of traffic on the BQE near Downtown Brooklyn. They picked him up and brought him to LICH.
Mr. Heredia has been one of only a dozen patients remaining at LICH as its owner, SUNY Downstate Medical Center, tries to permanently shut it down, in violation of a court order.
Mr. Heredia, who is from Mexico, doesn't speak English. Identification in his possession shows his name and an address in Florida, but the property owner there said she doesn't know him.
Last Thursday, in spite of his poor cognitive state and the lack of a known residence, LICH purchased a one-way bus ticket to Florida for this man.
Mr. Heredia would have been unaccompanied during the bus journey. He would have had to fend for himself. Meanwhile, he is under the impression that he's in California and that the current year is 2005.
In addition, Mr. Heredia is wandering around penniless. When he was walking on the expressway, he had a few belongings and $300 in cash. But he didn't take the money or the belongings with him when he left the hospital yesterday.
If you or anyone you know sees Mr. Heredia, please call (800) 577-TIPS (8477), or text "TIP577" (plus your message) to "CRIMES" (274637), or submit a tip online.