Darlene Templeton was 54 years old when she was last seen in El Centro, California on December 14, 2008. Public missing-person listings describe her as a white woman with gray hair and blue eyes, about 5’7” and approximately 170 pounds. She was reportedly wearing a multicolored shirt and dark-colored pants and was carrying a backpack. Those same listings note she has dementia, a factor that can significantly increase vulnerability and risk when someone becomes separated from familiar people or places.
Only limited information has been publicly released about the circumstances of her disappearance. Available summaries state that she was last seen on the date above and has not been heard from again, with few additional details published about where she was headed, what prompted the separation, or whether there were confirmed sightings afterward. The investigating agency listed in public records is the El Centro Police Department.
As of the most recent publicly available case profile located online, she continues to be listed as an endangered missing person. No official, public-facing update confirming that she has been found—alive or deceased—was located in the sources used for this synopsis.
Cases involving dementia can be especially time-sensitive and emotionally wrenching for families and communities. National caregiving and public-health guidance notes that wandering and becoming lost is common among people living with Alzheimer’s disease or other dementias, and individuals may become disoriented even in places that once felt familiar. These risks are part of why missing-person alerts involving cognitive impairment are often treated with urgency.
Anyone who believes they may have information relevant to Darlene Templeton’s whereabouts is encouraged to contact the El Centro Police Department at 760-352-2111. The State of California also publicizes a missing-persons hotline for tips: 1-800-222-FIND.
Last Seen: Dec 14, 2008
