FENWICK ISLAND, DE -- As of Friday evening, Fenwick Island police officers have found 83-year-old Kay Kline, who went missing Thursday afternoon.
Police officials told WBOC around 7 pm that Kline walked into the Fenwick Islander Motel, where she was met with her own missing poster. Authorities were alerted, and Kline was then able to reunite with her family. Kline was missing for more than 24 hours.
Details on what happened during those 24 hours are still limited at this time, according to police.
Fenwick Island's police chief, Michael Morrissey, told WBOC that Kline went missing around 4 pm near the beach close to East Atlantic Avenue. At the time of her disappearance, Kline was reportedly wearing a dark windbreaker, gray capri sweatpants, and a floral visor. According to Morrissey, there was concern that Kline is dealing with the early stages of dementia.
Morrissey said they got a call from Kline's family around 5 pm Thursday.
"The family said they drove up to the beach at about 3:30 pm, where two of the family members sat down in chairs," Morrissey said. "Our missing person normally walks on the beach for two or three miles. She's from Florida, and that's part of her routine down there. She walked North, she walked South, and then they lost all track of her. She never returned."
Morrissey said they then began a multi-department search for Kline. Neighboring departments, including those in Ocean City and Bethany Beach, also joined the search. Morrissey said they used drones, dogs, helicopters, and other technology to comb the beaches and the nearby neighborhoods. The coast guard is also involved in the search, according to Morrissey.
After the search was initially suspended around 11 pm on Thursday night, search efforts resumed around 7:30 am on Friday morning. Throughout the day on Friday, certain aspects of the search were suspended. However, Kline was then reportedly found Friday evening.
"I've seen and heard helicopters. I've seen police on their ATV vehicles, and I've seen people looking all around," Jean Hudson, who lives near the area where Kline went missing, told WBOC Friday.
Hudson has lived in the house for 37 years and said that the Fenwick Island community comes together in times of need.
"We are a family community. We all work together. Everybody tries to help everybody else out," Hudson said.
WBOC saw multiple businesses with Kline's missing poster posted on Friday. Benjamin Grove, who is visiting this week from Frederick, Maryland, said that was how he found out what was going on. Grove said he and his wife looked around the area for Kline Thursday night.
"I thought, 'let's look, let's see what we can do'," Grove said. "We walked the beach, and we walked the dunes because I was worried she may have fallen back there. We did it because we're getting up in age, and thought we should help any way we could."
Chief Morrissey urged everyone to keep a close eye on older family members.
"My mother is 85 years old. We give her an Apple Watch so if she falls, or anything happens, emergency services will be alerted," Morrisey said. "Stay alert when you're out on the beach now. You know, the guard. Guard coverage is now limited, so you have to pay extra special attention to your children and your elderly relatives."