A 59-year-old Florida woman who had been missing for approximately two months after moving to Georgia has been located alive. Katrice Simmons’ family announced her discovery on Monday morning, following a search that involved the Atlanta Police Department and multiple family members.
Simmons was a resident of Pensacola, Florida, before relocating to Atlanta in April to live with a man she met online. Her relatives stated that they last spoke with her on May 19. According to her daughter, Shaquansia Love, Simmons sounded as though she were in distress during that final phone call.
Following the loss of contact, Simmons’ family filed a missing persons report. Her sister, Felicia Pettiway, told Fox 5 Atlanta that the lack of communication was highly unusual, as Simmons typically maintained regular contact with her children. The family reported that Simmons' vehicle, a black Chevy Equinox with a missing rear door window, and her personal belongings disappeared along with her.
During the search, family members stated they visited local shelters and morgues. While they questioned Simmons' boyfriend, he reportedly told them he did not know her whereabouts. The Atlanta Police Department had requested public assistance in the case, though officials have not yet disclosed whether Simmons was found through a public tip or if she re-established contact on her own.
The resolution of this missing persons case affects the resource allocation of the Atlanta Police Department, which had been actively seeking information from the public. In the United States, missing person cases involving adults who move to live with individuals met online frequently require significant investigative hours from local detectives. For the Simmons family, the immediate change involves traveling to Georgia to reunite with her, as Pettiway noted they were preparing to "lay eyes on her" following the Monday morning update.
The specific circumstances regarding how Simmons was located and where she spent the last two months remain unreported. The case highlights the role of social media and local news in disseminating information about missing individuals, as family members used Facebook to confirm she had been found. No further legal actions or hearings have been scheduled, and police have not released information regarding any potential criminal investigations related to the disappearance.
What happens next: Simmons' family members are currently reuniting with her following the announcements made on August 24. Further details regarding her condition or the circumstances of her disappearance have not been released by the Atlanta Police Department. It is not yet known if any charges will be filed or if the investigation is considered closed.