James Elledge, an 82-year-old Glynn County man with dementia, was found in North Carolina early Thursday and taken to a hospital after his son said he had been discharged from a Jesup care facility.
The Catawba County Sheriff’s Office said it found a person from a Georgia facility at about 4 a.m. on Nov. 5, 2026, and took the person to a local hospital for evaluation.
David Elledge says he holds his father’s medical power of attorney. He says he sent the Harborview Health Systems facility a formal letter instructing staff not to release his father and warning that discharge would be unsafe.
David says he learned after the discharge that James had been released to relatives his father had not seen in more than 30 years.
Facility administrators told him James walked out and got into a vehicle, David said. He says he was not notified before or immediately after the release.
David says his father has severe memory loss, takes daily medication, uses a walker and is considered a high fall risk.
Jesup’s police chief confirmed the department’s involvement and said authorities had contacted Adult Protective Services. No further investigation outcome was reported.
Harborview Health Systems did not return requests for comment, and a representative hung up after the station identified itself.
By News Now Georgia
Yolonda Harris
News Now Georgia
