Posted on 12/15/2004 9:17:46 PM PST by Cedar
Traffic on the road to Fitzgerald's Casino was stopped as police used a tracking dog to look for 65-year-old Norma Massa. The Tunica Sheriff's Department was aided by the DeSoto County air unit as well as the Marshall County Sheriff's Department. tracking dogs.
Massa was last seen at Fitzgerald's Monday morning when she was part of a group from the St. Peter complex in Midtown. Massa never showed for the ride home, the bus left and her family was called. Below freezing temperatures and the fact that Massa is described as easily confused had searchers working overtime according to Tunica County Chief Deputy Robert Patton.
"Anytime you're looking for a lost individual that can't assist themselves, holler for help or assistance or something of that nature we use every method we can to try and find that person," he said.
Patton also said Massa disappeared last September from the Mid-South fair and was found seven miles away. Finding a missing person in a packed casino can be almost as tough as finding them in the woods.
But Patton says technology can help, "The casinos have certain things that are in place that they're able to assist us with in locating missing persons."
Tuesday search dogs lead police from Fitzgerald's through the woods and finally to the front door of Bally's Casino.
If you have information, call Tunica County Crimestoppers at 662-910-0400.
Can't imagine they would let her go off by herself, especially since she had wandered before. But mistakes do happen (again), I guess. Maybe a casino is not the best place to take these "residents."
Somebody should have insisted that this poor woman receive an implanted GPS chip.
Or more qualified staff....
That, too. But she's a wanderer, apparently, and that can cause trouble. Sadly, she may have lost her life.
Yes, with below freezing temperatures it makes things even rougher for her. Hopefully, she's found some kind of shelter. There's a lot of cotton fields in that area....acres & acres.
Guess they are checking all the barns, etc.
Probably so.
And a river.
bingo.
This woman is unable to find her way, but allowing her to gamble her money away is okay.
" Finding a missing person in a packed casino can be almost as tough as finding them in the woods. "
Bull !
Those casinos aren't too far from the Mississippi river. Not much in that area but the casinos.
Casinos are designed to be disorienting. Players are supposed to lose track of time and space -- it's part of the psychology of casino operation.
I hope they find her safe.
"And a river."
You're right. Ah...what a terrible thought. Maybe she headed east instead.
There are alot of buses at the casinos. Maybe she got on the wrong bus and ended up in Chicago?
maybe she won a lot of money and got comped for the night!
I'll pray for a happy ending.
Been in Fitz in Tunica. The casino itself is built on a barge on the river and the river is easily accessible through the back parking lot. I am afraid she may have gone near the water.
More likely, from my point of view re: casinos, is that they couln't squeeze another nickel from her social security check so the casino decided to hold her for ransom from her family.
All joking aside, I am hopeful of her safe discovery.
666.
With all the rain the past few weeks there is a lot of standing water all around there, too. And don't forget that BIG river...
I hope she didn't try to cross a highway and end up flat as a pancake!
But there's never been any reason to believe so.
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