Missing Butner man found hiding in church
A man missing for more than a week from a state-run facility in Granville County was found hiding in an area church on Wednesday, authorities said.
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Family members said they believe Jody Browning, 36, snuck out of his room on June 4 at the Murdoch Center in Butner, which serves people with developmental disabilities.
His disappearance prompted the North Carolina Center for Missing Persons to issue a statewide Silver Alert.
A search dog tracked Browning's scent to a locked closet at the United Methodist Church in Butner, authorities said. Browning emerged from the closet on his own, and other than being tired and hungry, he appeared to be fine, they said.
Authorities said he would be returned to the Murdoch Center after being checked by paramedics.
Developed in 2007, the Silver Alert system quickly notifies the public about missing endangered adults who suffer from dementia or other cognitive impairments, such as Alzheimer's disease.
It also allows caregivers and nursing homes to report a person missing. In the past, only a family member could report an adult missing.
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