Frantic search for elderly couple who vanished from nudist resort
Authorities are desperately looking for an elderly California couple who mysteriously vanished from their home on a nudist ranch in Redlands.
On Sunday, Stephanie Menard, 73, and her husband, Daniel, 79, were reported missing by a worried friend.
The Menards were last spotted leaving their home on the Olive Dell nudist ranch around 10am the day before.
Investigators said that the couple’s car was found unlocked not far from their residence.
On Sunday, Stephanie Menard, 73, and her husband, Daniel, 79, were reported missing by a worried friend
They further revealed that Stephanie’s purse was discovered in the home, as well as both her and Daniel’s cellphones.
But the Menards’ beloved dog, a small Shih Tzu named Cuddles, is also missing, according to the LA Times.
The authorities said that Daniel is diagnosed with diabetes and suffers from dementia, complicating matters and lending a sense of urgency to the search.
As the search for the Menards drags on, friends and neighbors struggle to remain hopeful.
The authorities said that Daniel is diagnosed with diabetes and suffers from dementia, complicating matters and lending a sense of urgency to the search
Stephanie Menard uses a can to move around
‘Each day just gets longer and longer, and I get more and more worried,’ Sandy Marinelli, a friend of the couple’s, told ABC.
‘There’s just nothing to go off of right now.’
Tammie Wilkerson, another friend pointed out that it wouldn’t have made sense for the Menards to leave their car behind.
‘There’s no way that Stephanie or Dan could’ve walked away from that car. She has a cane. It was at home.’
The Menards, who are very active in their church and in the Olive Dell community, were described as kind people.
‘They’re very sweet,’ Wilkerson said, tearfully. ‘ There’s not a mean bone in their body at all, which makes this confusing.’
Friends of the Menards told ABC that the couple was being harassed, and that they fear this might be related to their disappearance.
The Menards’ beloved dog, a small Shih Tzu named Cuddles, is also missing
Friends of the Menards told ABC that the couple was being harassed, and that they fear this might be related to their disappearance
When asked if she thought the seventy-year-olds would return, Wilkerson said: ‘my gut feeling is that they’re not.’
If the Menards are found, friends are worried about under what circumstances.
‘If they do find them, how?’ Marinelli said.
Anyone with information about the disappearance is asked to contact Redlands police at (909)798-7681 or Detective Thomas Williams at [email protected].