DeKalb family grieving after missing mother found at Ellenwood lake
DeKalb County police find missing woman at lake
DeKalb County police confirmed missing 70-year-old Joanne Howell was found dead at Misty Lake in Ellenwood. Howell, who suffered from Alzheimer's and dementia, was last seen at her home on Friday afternoon.
ELLENWOOD, Ga. - A DeKalb County family is grieving after 70-year-old Joanne Howell, who had Alzheimer's and dementia, was found dead Monday morning at Misty Lake in Ellenwood.
What we know:
Residents reported seeing fire crews and crime scene tape set up near the lake behind their homes around 7 a.m. Water rescue teams entered the lake after witnesses reported seeing a body in the water.
The medical examiner arrived around 9 a.m. and removed the person on a stretcher before clearing the area by 9:30 a.m.
Body removed from Misty Lake, neighbors react
Investigators are searching a lake in DeKalb County after finding a body in the water near an Ellenwood neighborhood.
Shortly before noon, DeKalb County police confirmed the person found deceased was 70-year-old Joanne Howell, who had been reported missing over the weekend.
Howell reportedly went missing in Ellenwood around 6 p.m. last Friday. A Mattie's Call was issued after she was reported missing.
A Mattie's Call has been issued for Joanne Howell, 70, who was last seen on Satellite Terrace in Ellenwood on Friday evening. (Credit: DeKalb County Police Department)
Howell was last seen at her home, located about a half mile from Misty Lake, late Friday afternoon. Her daughter, Jacquelyn Daniel, said the family assumed Howell was outside smoking.
Family members searched through the weekend before receiving a call from authorities Monday morning confirming her body was found.
What we don't know:
Authorities have not explained how Howell reached the lake. Daniel noted that her mother's mobility was very limited due to rheumatoid arthritis and two total hip replacements, stating the most her mother would normally walk was to the stop sign up the street and back.
Missing woman's body found in DeKalb lake
The body of 70-year-old woman named Joanne Howell was found in an Ellenwood lake on Monday morning. She had been reported missing over the weekend. This is a breaking news update. Rey Ilerena reporting for FOX 5 Atlanta.
What's next:
An official cause of death has not been determined at this time and police say an investigation is ongoing.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.