Kalona woman found safe 100 miles from home

UPDATE: Authorities said a Kalona woman suffering from Alzheimer's disease drove more than 100 miles before she was located.

Della F. Yoder, 79, was brought home Tuesday morning by a Good Samaritan who found her in Lucas, Iowa after she had run out of gas, officials said. Lucas is about 45 miles south of Des Moines.

“She's home and with her family, doing just fine,” said Shelley Reed-Wulf, a dispatcher at the Washington County Communications Center.

Yoder had been missing since 6 p.m. Monday. As authorities were beginning an active search Tuesday morning, an officer went back to Yoder's home and she had just arrived, Reed-Wulf said.

Just last week, Iowa law enforcement officials announced the Endangered Persons Advisory System, which was created to disseminate timely information about missing persons suffering from Alzheimer's, dementia or other disabilities.