More people have joined the search for a missing Marion County man with the mind of a three-year old. A largely volunteer search effort will take place Saturday near Ocklawaha.
John Radabaugh hasn’t been seen since Tuesday when he wandered away from his home on SE 91st Place.
Search teams returned to the Ocklawaha area Friday for a third full day of searching for John Radabaugh Jr.
Automated calls went out to homes within 40 miles the night before, explaining though Radabaugh is 48, he has the mind of a three-year-old.
He’s been missing since Tuesday when he wandered off from his home while raking leaves in pajama bottoms and a t-shirt.
Since then there’s been storms, and overnight temperatures in the 30s.
“Maybe he found some clothes on a clothes line maybe, we are hoping that happened," said his stepmother Kim Radabaugh. "I think he’s a survivor, I think he would find a shelter somewhere to get warm in.”
Posters have been plastered all over Southeast Marion County. Digital road signs give his description, about 5'3", 135 pounds.
“Everyone just wants to help out there’s a sense of just sitting around isn’t appropriate so what can we do?” Marion County Fire Rescue Chaplain Joe Lacagnata said.
Crews are using GPS monitoring to instantly record where they’ve searched back at command headquarters.
The sheriff’s office said because of Radabaugh’s mental capacity, they are treating it just like they would a missing child.
The family says he’s probably just looking for toys, and they’ll keep looking for him.
“We’re going to keep looking we’re not going to stop, whether Marion Co. has exhausted all their searches we aren’t stopping,” Radabaugh said.
The search effort will once again be organized at Moss Bluff Baptist Church in Ocklawaha at 8am Saturday.
If you see Radabaugh, please call 911.