WORCESTER, Mass. — A desperate search was underway in Worcester on Saturday for a man who went missing after escaping from a mental health evaluation at Heywood Hospital in Gardner three weeks ago.
Family and friends combed the woods off Grafton Street after receiving multiple tips that Leonard Mercurymight have been spotted in the city.
His wife, Nicole La Guerre, has been tirelessly looking for any information about his whereabouts.
I’m constantly on social media, scouring-scouring-scouring, looking for any messages from anyone," La Guerre told Boston 25 News.
La Guerre told Boston 25 News she had called police to their Westminster home the night before after an argument with Mercury, who had been struggling with his mental health.
Laguerre expressed her reluctance to discuss Mercury’s mental health issues publicly, stating, “It’s not something that we talk about with people. I feel like it’s his private business, it’s his business, so I don’t talk about it because he’s such a good person, a fun person.”
Gardner Police have confirmed that this is an ongoing investigation.
La Guerre shared that police dogs tracked Mercury’s scent to a lake near Heywood Hospital, but a subsequent water search yielded no results.
“I hope to find him today. It would be nice to say on Thanksgiving that I’m thankful I found Leonard,” I just hope we find him. I really, really want to find him.”
“If you’re not at the hospital, you’re not getting your mental health taken care of, so I’m really worried about that,” La Guerre added.
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