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A 62-year-old Chatsworth nursing home resident who disappeared from the facility three days ago is still missing, according to police. The detective handling the case revealed that Timothy Norton has a history of wandering.
Norton left Goldstar Healthcare Center, 21820 Craggy View St., between 4 and 5 p.m., Sunday, to buy cigarettes at a nearby 7-Eleven at the intersection of Topanga Canyon Boulevard and Devonshire Street. He was last seen there begging for money, according to Emmanuel Ruiz, Goldstar’s administrator.
“This is not the first time [Norton] has gone missing,” said LAPD Missing Persons Unit Detective Carlton, who declined to give his first name. Carlton, speaking Tuesday afternoon, added, “From my understanding, he didn’t have dementia, but schizophrenia.”
The case was transferred Tuesday morning from the Devonshire Division to the Missing Persons Unit, which handles adult cases. Carlton, who works for the San Fernando Valley Bureau, handled Norton’s previous disappearances. While Carlton was unable to recall how many times Norton has gone missing, he said Norton has either returned or was found. Police do not suspect foul play.
Cases in which the missing person leaves voluntarily, however, are challenging.
“It’s like a needle in a haystack. It’s not easy,” Carlton said. But “for this particular case, I don’t see him moving far.”
Police describe Norton as white, 6 feet tall, weighing 160 pounds, with white hair, blue eyes, and a light complexion. Norton, who is a chain smoker, was wearing an orange shirt.
Finding Norton remains “critical” because of his dependence on medications and rising temperatures during the day, Carlton said.
Anyone who has information about where Norton might be should immediately call 911, the Devonshire Police Station at 818-832-0633, or the Missing Persons Unit at 213-996-1800.
