Elderly Couple Missing Before Hurricane Found Dead in Florida Minivan
Tragedy struck as a married couple from Florida, Albert Allen, 76, and Cynthia Allen, 73, were discovered deceased in their minivan on Thursday. The distressing news follows their disappearance earlier this week, just before Hurricane Idalia hit the state. Their minivan was located to the north of Tampa.
The couple had been reported missing on Tuesday after a family member noticed that their car was absent from their residence in Hernando County. The Hernando County Sheriff’s Office issued a Silver Alert for the Allens the next day, labeling them as “endangered” due to their disabilities.
Albert was dealing with deafness and dementia, while Cynthia had recently suffered a stroke and was partially paralyzed. Regrettably, they had not taken their necessary medications along with them.
Albert’s phone had emitted a signal near the area where their minivan was subsequently discovered in Brooksville, positioned within a wooded region adjacent to a road. The sheriff’s department concluded that it appeared to be a single-vehicle accident.
“These cases are always challenging,” commented Nico Tusconi from the nonprofit organization We Are the Essentials, a group consisting of former law enforcement and military personnel specializing in locating missing individuals. “Mr. and Mrs. Allen had been married for an impressive 57 years.”
Tusconi further stated, “While we hope to offer some solace to the family, closure is seldom attainable. This instance is even more distressing, considering we have lost two victims.”
The Florida Highway Patrol is now leading the investigation into the incident.