Grim update in search for missing mom who disappeared while family thought she was out for a smoke

A Georgia mother who vanished while her family believed she was outside smoking a cigarette has been found dead in a lake.

Joanne Howell, 70, was last seen at her Ellenwood home late Friday afternoon, according to authorities. 

Three days after she was reported missing, Howell, who suffered from Alzheimer’s and dementia, was found dead in nearby Misty Lake, according to local news outlets WSB, WUPA and WAGA.

Police said it appeared Howell had wandered away from her home before drowning in the small body of water located just a short distance away. 

It remains unclear how the 70-year-old mother made her way to the lake, as loved ones said her mobility was severely limited by rheumatoid arthritis and two total hip replacements. 

Jacquelyn Daniel, Howell’s daughter, said her mother would normally walk no farther than the stop sign up the street before turning back.

An official cause of death has yet to be determined at this time as the investigation remains ongoing. 

‘Nowadays you see people say things don’t happen in your neighborhood. You can never tell,’ Pam Parham, who lives just a few houses down from Howell, told WSB-TV.

‘And I’m praying that – hate that she’s deceased – but praying that it was a drowning and not someone got killed and put out there,’ she added.

The grim discovery came days after the elderly mother was reported missing, having last been seen around 6pm in the 2600 block of Satellite Terrace, according to DeKalb County Police. 

At the time, Howell, who was described as 5-foot-4 and weighing 134 pounds, was wearing a pink bonnet with black dreadlocks underneath and a white shirt. 

Her disappearance prompted a Mattie’s Call to be issued the following day – Georgia’s emergency alert system for missing disabled or elderly people. 

Meanwhile, family members spent the weekend searching for her, but to no avail. 

It was not until Monday morning that DeKalb County Police responded to the 3900 block of Misty Lake following reports of a body in the water.

Around 7am, neighbors said they saw fire crews and crime scene tape set up near the private lake behind their homes as water rescue teams entered.

The medical examiner arrived around 9am and removed the body on a stretcher before clearing the area by 9.30am. Authorities confirmed shortly before noon that the body was Howell. 

Tyraa Gabriele shared a statement on Facebook on behalf of Howell’s daughter, Jacquelyn Daniel, whom she described as her cousin, writing: ‘Sadly, she is no longer with us.’

‘We are deeply grateful to everyone who prayed, shared her information, searched, checked their neighborhoods, and offered support to the family during this incredibly difficult time,’ she added.

‘Your love, concern, and willingness to help meant more than words can express.’

The statement asked the community to keep Howell’s family and loved ones in their thoughts as they process the heartbreaking loss, while also respecting their privacy and allowing them time to grieve. 

‘Rest peacefully, Aunt Joanne,’ Gabriele added. ‘Thank you all for helping us bring her home.’