After a two‑month disappearance, Katrice Simmons, 59, who moved from Pensacola, Florida to Atlanta, Georgia to live with a man she met online, was found alive on Monday. The discovery came as her family, who had been searching and praying for her, received word that she was safe.
Background and disappearance
Simmons relocated to Atlanta in April after beginning an online relationship. The last confirmed contact with her family occurred on May 19, when her daughter reported that her mother sounded distressed during a phone call. Following that conversation, Simmons stopped all communication, prompting her sister, Felicia Pettiway, to file a missing‑persons report with the Atlanta Police Department.
Pettiway told Fox 5 Atlanta that Simmons’ silence was “completely out of character,” noting that the woman always kept in touch with at least one of her children. The family learned that Simmons had been living in an apartment on the 300 block of Lanier Street NW in Atlanta. When relatives reached out to her boyfriend for information, he said he did not know where she had gone.
Search efforts
Police and family members searched local shelters and morgues, and the Atlanta Police Department asked the public for tips. Simmons’ black Chevrolet Equinox, missing a rear‑door window, along with her phone and personal belongings, were also missing. Calls to her mobile number went straight to voicemail.
One family member, speaking to Fox 5 Atlanta before the discovery, said, “I believe there may be a possibility that my auntie is dead. We’ve gone to the shelters, we’ve gone to the morgues… there is no Katrice.” The emotional toll of the search was evident, but the family continued to pray and seek assistance.
Safe return
On Monday morning, relatives confirmed that Simmons had been located alive. It has not been publicly confirmed whether police found her through a community tip or if she re‑established contact on her own. In a Facebook post, her daughter, Shaquansia Love, wrote, “I have no words but thank you God my MOMMY has been found. Thank you everyone for everything I’m speechless there’s a God.”
The family’s gratitude highlights the role of faith and community support in bringing a missing loved one home. While details of the circumstances surrounding her disappearance remain private, the safe outcome underscores the importance of persistent searching, public cooperation, and prayer.
What’s next?
Authorities have not released further information about the investigation, and no charges have been filed. Simmons’ family plans to focus on her recovery and well‑being, and they continue to thank those who offered assistance during the ordeal.
Original reporting: Tampa Free Press — read the source article.
