Mansfield police: Missing woman located
Mansfield police have located the missing 23-year-old woman who had indicated she wants to harm herself.
She was located on Lexington-Springmill Road at Rosedale Drive in Ontario, police said at 2:25 p.m. Thursday.
"I am happy to advise that Samantha has been located. She was found on Lexington-Springmill Rd near Rosedale Drive by the Ontario Police Department. Samantha was in good spirits and returned to her family. Thank you to all that assisted us with locating her," Mansfield assistance police Chief Jason Bammann said.
Bammann said Thursday afternoon officers were searching the area of West Fourth Street and Penn and Helen avenues and beyond for Samantha Thomas, who went missing Thursday from her home on Penn Avenue.
Police were searching vacant houses.
She is autistic and expressed suicidal thoughts as she left the residence Thursday morning, Bammann said. She has brown hair and green eyes and is wearing a black winter coat, maybe gray pants and orange flipflops, he said.
Mansfield police Chief Keith Porch said in a news release, "Samantha has also been diagnosed with schizophrenia, autism and diminished mental capacities. At approximately 9:54 a.m., Ms. Thomas left on foot from her residence at 61½ Penn Ave., distraught, and had made threats to possibly harm herself. She is also not originally from the area and has done this in the past. The last time she was located 10 hours later in an abandoned house."
Mansfield police had set up a command center at the KV Market on West Fourth Street.
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This article originally appeared on Mansfield News Journal: Police had set up a command center in search for Samantha Thomas, 23
