Mark Whitley’s neighbors, family, and friends in La Mesa have been looking for him. He was last seen in the downtown area of San Diego more than a week ago.
Whitley’s cousin Shameka Dixon was the last member of his family to see him before she took him to the Jane Westin Wellness and Recovery to get help for his mental problems.
“He went to the bathroom,” said Dixon. “He was in there for about 15 minutes before I knocked on the door. I told Mark, “You know they’re waiting for you, right?”
Next thing she knew, Whitley was gone.
When Dixon went outside, she talked to someone who had just seen Whitley.
Dixon said, “She kept saying, ‘The boy, the boy,’ and pointing back toward 10th Street.”
With this hint, she started her search. After looking for her for hours in 10 downtown blocks, Dixon called her grandma, Emma Whitley, who then reported her missing to the San Diego police.
Emma said, “I wasn’t too worried because he sometimes walks out of here for an hour or so and then comes back.”
When Whitley went missing, he didn’t have any ID, money, or a phone. All he had were the clothes on his back.
As one day turned into three, and then 10 without him, his grandma started to worry.
Emma told NBC 7: “I’m still hopeful, but I have to think something bad might have happened.”
Dixon said she couldn’t help but feel a little bad.
“He really didn’t want to go,” said Dixon. “You know, I feel terrible about what I did to him. I told him, “You need to do this,” but now we can’t find him.”
The 40-year-old has almost always lived in La Mesa. He is familiar with the area, but not the part of downtown San Diego where he went missing.
Emma is hoping that her grandson will find his way back to her front door.
NBC 7 asked cops for an update on their search, but they haven’t gotten back to them yet.
The family put up flyers all over downtown and also in La Mesa. Emma said that all of the neighbors know and like Mark, and they have all helped look for him.
Mark was last seen wearing black pants and a brown hoodie. If you know anything about him, you should call the San Diego police.