Police Welfare Check Turns Lighthearted After Finding 91-Year-Old Gaming
A routine welfare check on a 91-year-old Westlake, Ohio, woman ended unexpectedly when police found her safe at home—deeply focused on a video game and unaware officers had been searching for her well-being, according to police and local reports.
The incident began after the woman, who participates in Westlake’s voluntary “Are You Okay?” check-in program, failed to respond to her scheduled daily wellness call, authorities said.
The system automatically places daily phone calls to enrolled residents and alerts officials if contact cannot be made, allowing police and family members to follow up when a check-in is missed.
Police said dispatchers attempted additional calls after the initial check-in went unanswered, but they were also unable to reach her.
The woman’s family likewise tried contacting her without success, prompting concern that something may have been wrong, according to officials familiar with the response.
Officers were then dispatched to conduct a welfare check at the residence.
When officers arrived at the home, they observed the woman’s vehicle inside the garage but received no response after knocking on the front door, Westlake police said.
Following standard protocol for welfare checks where contact cannot be established, officers used a code to access the garage before entering the home to ensure the resident was safe.
Once inside, officers announced their presence and began searching the residence room by room.
Body camera footage later released by police showed officers moving through the home as they attempted to locate the woman while continuing to call out for her.
The situation shifted quickly when officers discovered her inside a bedroom.
According to dispatch audio captured in the body camera footage, an officer located the woman safely inside the room.
“We’re here with her,” one officer said. “She’s playing video games in her bedroom.”
Police said the woman was in good health and had not experienced a medical emergency.
Instead, she had simply been occupied with a video game and did not hear or respond to the repeated phone calls, family outreach attempts, or door knocking that preceded the entry.
Westlake Police Capt. Jerry Vogel said the outcome was a relief for everyone involved and emphasized that the woman was safe throughout the incident.
“Everyone got a good laugh out of it,” Vogel said, noting that the welfare check system functioned as intended despite the unusual circumstances that triggered the response.
The incident began after the woman, who participates in Westlake’s voluntary “Are You Okay?” check-in program, failed to respond to her scheduled daily wellness call, authorities said.
The system automatically places daily phone calls to enrolled residents and alerts officials if contact cannot be made, allowing police and family members to follow up when a check-in is missed.
Police said dispatchers attempted additional calls after the initial check-in went unanswered, but they were also unable to reach her.
The woman’s family likewise tried contacting her without success, prompting concern that something may have been wrong, according to officials familiar with the response.
Officers were then dispatched to conduct a welfare check at the residence.
When officers arrived at the home, they observed the woman’s vehicle inside the garage but received no response after knocking on the front door, Westlake police said.
Following standard protocol for welfare checks where contact cannot be established, officers used a code to access the garage before entering the home to ensure the resident was safe.
Once inside, officers announced their presence and began searching the residence room by room.
Body camera footage later released by police showed officers moving through the home as they attempted to locate the woman while continuing to call out for her.
The situation shifted quickly when officers discovered her inside a bedroom.
According to dispatch audio captured in the body camera footage, an officer located the woman safely inside the room.
“We’re here with her,” one officer said. “She’s playing video games in her bedroom.”
Police said the woman was in good health and had not experienced a medical emergency.
Instead, she had simply been occupied with a video game and did not hear or respond to the repeated phone calls, family outreach attempts, or door knocking that preceded the entry.
Westlake Police Capt. Jerry Vogel said the outcome was a relief for everyone involved and emphasized that the woman was safe throughout the incident.
“Everyone got a good laugh out of it,” Vogel said, noting that the welfare check system functioned as intended despite the unusual circumstances that triggered the response.
70-79, M
