Using cellular phone triangulation, authorities in Minnesota and Wisconsin were able to locate a missing Wadena woman Sunday night after being reported missing since Thursday, April 30.
Shirley Chromey, 72, was found safe after becoming lost in Wisconsin on her way to visit her sister in Lake Mills, Wis., according to reports from the Wadena Police Department.
On Thursday, Chromey left around 7 a.m. on her trip, but contacted her sister around 10 p.m. and said she was in the Baraboo, Wis., area and was confused and lost. Later that night, she said in a subsequent cell phone conversation that she saw a sign for LaCrosse and Tomah, Wis., and planned to head back toward Wadena.
Wadena police checked her residence at 4 p.m. on Friday, May 1, but she wasn't there.
Authorities contacted Verizon Wireless and the company was able to say that Chromey's last call was placed on a tower in Appleton, Wis. But no further information could be derived.
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However, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension was able to use new technology to triangulate Chromey's cell phone signal and narrow the search down to a two-mile radius, Chief of Police Bruce Uselman said.
Once her location was determined to be in a section of Eau Claire County, authorities there swept the area and found Chromey.
The woman was apparently not feeling well and had pulled into a hotel room for a couple of days to recoup, but hadn't contacted anyone.
Chromey was doing well after the ordeal, local authorities said Monday.
