Crime & Safety

Missing LICH Patient Safe in Florida

Police are investigating how the disoriented 81-year-old arrived in Fort Pierce without money or identification.

Celso Heredia, the Long Island College Hospital patient who was reported missing Thursday was found in Florida, police said. 

The 81-year-old was first discovered by police in late June walking along the BQE. Unable to speak English, he could not identify himself and believed that the year was 2005 and that he was in California, according to a New York Times article published at the time.

Heredia's identification was later discovered on his person and various authorities have been trying to find a family member or other connection to past residences in Florida and Mexico.

Police got word Sunday that Heredia was in Florida.

PIX11 reports Heredia is in Fort Pierce, Fla., where municipal police say he is in good condition. However, he was found without money or identification on him and Fort Pierce police are still investigating how he made the trip down. 

Last week, during the attempted hospital closure, PIX11 reported that a hospital employee purchased Heredia a bus ticket to Florida, which he never made. A doctor later told the media outlet that the hospital was looking into a flight for him.

Joanna Prisco contributed to this report. 


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