Published: October 22, 2009 03:58 pm      

Missing woman had a history of leaving

A 67-year-old Keene woman who has been missing since Oct. 9 had a history of leaving home without telling anyone but would usually return in a day or two, family members told Cleburne police.

Virginia Burns disappeared two weeks ago and has not been seen since.

A family member picked Burns up from a Keene nursing home, where she had been living for about six weeks, on Oct. 8. They stopped at a convenience store and wenton to the family home in the 1000 block of North Main Street in Cleburne.

At about 11:45 p.m., a staff member from the nursing home called family members and offered to pick Burns up.

Family members said Burns did not want to return to the nursing home, but they would bring her back the next morning by 8:30 a.m.

Because there is only one bed in the apartment, it was decided that Burns would sleep in the car in the driveway. Family members last saw Burns a little after 1 a.m. on Oct. 9 sitting in the family car.

They contacted police at 11:30 a.m. and were met by officers who gathered information.

Family members said she had no emergency medical conditions.

Family members contacted police again on Oct. 11 to inform them that Burns had not returned to the nursing home or contacted anyone.

Officers were provided an address where Burns might be staying. They did not find her there.

On Monday, police assigned two detectives to the case, and they interviewed family members and checked areas where Burns was last seen.

Police alerted local newspapers and TV stations and printed flyers to post.

Police on foot checked the area where Burns was last seen numerous times and twice used a helicopter to check the creek and fields near that area.

Detectives talked to people in the area and at the nursing home. They also checked with hospitals and night shelters and alerted other law-enforcement agencies. Burns has been placed on the Texas Missing Person’s Clearing House.

At this time, police have no indications that Burns was taken by force from the car where she was sleeping, Sgt. Amy Knoll said.

Knoll added that police have no indication of what may have happened to Burns at this time.

Burns was last seen wearing light colored jeans, a green shirt and white sandals. She was also carrying a black purse.

Anyone with information on Burns is urged to contact the Cleburne Police Department at 817-645-0972.