SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) — It’s been the longest two weeks of Lori Beckwith’s life. Her 29-year-old autistic son August Beckwith went missing on November 17 and was last seen at Research Park near the University of Utah.
According to Lori, August is experiencing a mental health crisis and psychosis and doesn’t have his medication with him, let alone his phone, warm clothing and money.
“I need as many volunteers as possible,” Lori said in an interview with ABC4 News. “I’m running this entire operation on my own … I know that there are people out there that feel like they can help — It makes a huge difference.”
The Department of Public Safety issued an Endangered Missing Advisory on Nov. 20, and the University of Utah Police Department says they issued an alert that appears on highway billboards, while campus security has been searching for school buildings regularly.
Amid the search for August, Lori reminisced on the days before mental health became an issue for him.
She said he graduated early from high school and was very high functioning prior to a major accident in his teenage years.
“My son played football … and he got a brain injury just before his 16th birthday and that’s what set him off,” Lori said.
Despite his struggles, Lori said August dedicated his time to serving homeless communities.
“He takes them shopping for groceries, he makes sure they have warm clothing … he’s just a very lovely person,” Lori said.
While there are specific criteria at the state level used to determine the varying type of alerts sent out in any given missing person’s case, former FBI agent Greg Rogers, whose background includes searching for people who go missing, says the way law enforcement handles these types of situations rely heavily on the circumstances.
“I would be disingenuous if I tried to convince you that this case was being worked the same way that an Amber Alert or a missing child or someone who’s completely defenseless is in the company of someone who may intend to harm them,” Rogers said. “That’s a totally different case.”
With that said, Rogers acknowledges that August’s situation is incredibly complicated, as he’s currently non-verbal, vulnerable, afraid, and struggling with a mental health crisis.
“I don’t mean to sound cynical, but August’s case is going to be a bit difficult … if he doesn’t want someone to find him — that makes it really, really hard,” Rogers said. “It’s sad what kind of condition he might be in and where he’s staying.”
August lived with his mother in the Cottonwood Heights area for years until earlier this year, when Lori sold her home and moved the both of them to Wyoming. According to Lori, August was receiving treatment at a facility near the university, prior to him running away, following his discharge.
“I’ve been actually staying in my truck near the places where I think he might be so that I can find him and bring him home with me,” Lori said.
Lori asks anyone who’d like to help volunteer in the search to meet her and other volunteers at the J. Willard Marriot Library located at the University of Utah.
The group has been meeting there everyday at 10 a.m.
While a DPS alert stated August is not a danger to others, the public is asked not to approach August if located, as it might frighten him, but instead to call 9-1-1 or Lori at 801-232-5828.