A guy with autism has been absent for more than a week since his father, whom he cared for, died. His father, a former Chicago police officer, was suffering from Parkinson’s disease.
Jonathon “Jon” Baez, 43, has high-functioning autism and began caring for his father, David Baez, 73, after the latter was diagnosed with the degenerative disease.
“(His brothers) were very happy with how he was taking care of David,” aunt Paty Galindo told WGN News.
The family’s mother, Josefina, died 25 years ago, and David cared for Jon until his Parkinson’s diagnosis.
David was discovered deceased by one of his other sons on Friday. Jon, according to his family, discovered his body, possibly “freaked out,” and fled the home around 86th and Baltimore without his mobile phone.
“We’re not sure what happened, but there was no foul play. “My brother-in-law died in his sleep,” Galindo explained.
The family has been feverishly putting up flyers in an attempt to locate him. During the search, an Elote stand at 91st and Houston informed them that they had seen him last Thursday, the day before David was discovered dead.
Neighbors said the family last spotted a light at the house on Tuesday night, April 2.
Family told WGN News. Jon is known to frequent downtown, near the museum campus.
He also frequents the 87th Street Metra station and shops at Macia’s Produce on the 8900 block of South Commercial. A coworker informed the family that they had seen him there a few weeks earlier.
Jon’s family says he went wearing a black North Face jacket and a black hoodie. He is 5’8″, 170 lbs, and has light brown hair. He has difficulty communicating. Jon has a tiny scar above the bridge of his nose.
Anyone with information on his whereabouts can call 911 or the police at 312-747-8274.