Nationwide — Harvey Lee Roberts, an 87-year-old African American man from Jones County, Mississippi, was found alive in the Currie community after being missing for nearly a week. Search teams, neighbors, and authorities tracked him through wooded areas before a resident discovered him in an abandoned structure.
According to WLBT, Roberts went missing from a home on Currie Road after he was last seen around 4 p.m. on April 12. People at the residence said they briefly rested, then realized he had disappeared without a known direction of travel.
The Jones County Sheriff’s Department immediately launched a search. Roberts, who has a medical condition that may affect his judgment, was described as 5 feet 3 inches tall, about 98 pounds, with black and gray hair. He was last seen wearing a gray shirt and red shorts.
As the search expanded, the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation issued a Silver Alert. Search and rescue teams focused on Currie Road and nearby wooded areas while deputies followed up on possible leads. Additional drone support was requested from the Mississippi Department of Public Safety.
By April 13, officials confirmed that Roberts had still not been located. Ground teams, K9 units, and drone operations were paused after turning up no clear leads, but deputies continued canvassing the area and checking for new information.
Search efforts continued over the following days, with law enforcement and local crews focusing on reports of sightings and expanding checks across surrounding parts of Jones County. The area around Currie Road remained the main search zone.
A breakthrough came on the morning of April 17 in the Currie community. A person near a wooded area close to homes and a fire department heard calls for help and went into the brush to investigate.
Roberts was found inside an abandoned house hidden in thick woods. Emergency responders arrived quickly and transported him to a nearby hospital. Officials have not released his condition.
Authorities are still working to determine how long Roberts stayed in the area and how he survived during the days he was missing. The Jones County Sheriff’s Department continues to ask residents to review security footage from April 12 onward for any helpful details.