Family of missing man with schizophrenia plead for community's help finding him
The Brief
Loved ones of a missing Rockdale County man are seeking the community's help finding him.
The 39-year-old father of two was reported missing on February 24th after leaving his mother's home.
He has been diagnosed with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder and recently became non-verbal.
ROCKDALE COUNTY, Ga. - The search is on for a missing man believed to be suffering from a mental health episode.
Loved ones of the 39-year-old Rockdale County father are now desperately asking for the community's help bringing him home.
What we know
Brandon Sistrunk was last seen on Feb. 20. According to his mother, the 39-year-old father of two walked out of her home on Old Covington Road at some point that day.
Four days later, he was reported missing. An investigator with the Rockdale County Sheriff's Office has since been assigned to the case.
The GBI also issued a Mattie's Call, Georgia's emergency missing alert for disabled or elderly persons, for Sistrunk, who was diagnosed with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder two years ago and is considered non-verbal.
What they're saying
For Paula Lewis, sleep has been difficult to come by in the 11 days since she last had any contact with her son.
"We just really want him back home," she told FOX 5.
Lewis says his mental health condition worsened to the point he could no longer speak within the last 6 months and that he'd previously been reported missing from his own apartment in Snellville as recently as this past December.
Snellville police found him days later behind a building. He was taken to the hospital for treatment before being released into his mother's custody.
Despite efforts to gather family and friends for search parties this time around, there haven't been any sightings of Brandon.
Lewis fears without his meds and unable to communicate with others, he may be in serious danger.
"We have been vigorously looking for him…riding around putting out flyers…my concern is without that medication, somebody's gonna hurt him," she said.
What you can do
Brandon is about 5 feet 5 inches tall, weighs 160 pounds and was last seen wearing a red hooded sweatshirt, gray jeans black gloves and an Eskimo hat.
He's believed to be somewhere in the areas of Rockdale, DeKalb, Newton or Gwinnett Counties.
Lewis says they plan to hold another search party this weekend. If you see him, call 911. or reach out to detectives with the Rockdale County Sheriff's Office.
The Source
FOX 5's Joi Dukes spoke with family and friends of Brandon Sistrunk as well as the Rockdale County Sheriffs' Office for this article.
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