'A Christmas Miracle:' Missing South LA Man Found Alive In Pasadena
PASADENA (CBSLA) — A South LA man missing for more than a month has finally been found in Pasadena. But there's a twist: police say that when he was found -- he was arrested.
62-year-old Douglas James was found alive after going missing more than six weeks ago.
"I was really worried. Did he catch pneumonia? Did he get sick?" said his son Donte James, who is calling his father's discovery a Christmas miracle.
On November 5, Douglas James was riding in a car with his twin brother Donald, when Donald was taken into custody for an alleged DUI. He said he begged the officer to take his brother home because Douglas has dementia and couldn't find his way home. But the CHP officer dropped him off twelve miles from home at a gas station and Douglas seemed to disappear.
"In no case should a police officers just release people who are suffering from mental disease or are sick, just dump them on the street. That is totally unacceptable. That's what happened here," said attorney Mark Ravis.
Douglas was found on December 18 sleeping in a pediatric dental office in Pasadena and taken into custody on a parole violation.
"That warrant was issued in an effort just to help find him," Ravis said.
Douglas served nearly 30 years in prison on robbery and attempted murder charges. He was released a year ago and went missing then as well in Northern California.
"This highlights the need for the governor to step up and use some of the funding that he has for better training of the Highway Patrol and for mental health workers to be stationed in the county jails," said Charles R. Drew University's Dr. Ernie Smith.
Despite his illness, Douglas was trying to reestablish a relationship with his sons.
"For him to come back into our lives and then for this to happen at the hands of the people that are there to help us and support us, it's been unimaginable," said his son Antquon James.
Authorities say Douglas James was released from custody Friday night and returned to his family.
