Man Missing From New Haven Was Stuck in Culvert for 4 Days: Cops

A man reported missing in New Haven, Connecticut, last week turned up in the unlikeliest of places.

Police looking for the 56-year-old city resident found him stuck in a culvert 20 yards into the woods early Saturday. He told police he had been there since Tuesday.

Officers began searching for the man after he was reported missing Friday evening.

Family members said he suffers from kidney failure and needs dialysis. The man's brother told NBC Connecticut he had not been receiving his regular treatment.

The family hadn't heard from him since Monday, but had spotted his car outside Burger King on Whalley Avenue, according to police.

Investigators spoke with the restaurant manager, who said the man had stopped by Tuesday and left on foot, having lost his car keys, according to police. The manager said the man "looked sick" when he left.

Police searched city streets, trails and cut-throughs, called the hospital and the missing man's dialysis center and issued a formal Silver Alert.

It was by chance – and thanks to an exhaustive search – they spotted him in a culvert in the woods off Dayton Street around 12:45 a.m. Saturday.

Police said the man was "alive and surprisingly well" and told them he had been trapped in the culvert for days.

It's not clear how he got there, but his brother, who asked not to be identified, said the man may have gotten lost and confused because of his medical condition.

He was admitted to Yale-New Haven Hospital and the Silver Alert was canceled.

"He basically knows what happened and he's just grateful that he was able to get assistance," the man's brother said. "Knowing that he's rehabilitating from his injuries and that he's going to be well, that's good for us."

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