SALT LAKE CITY — A man with mild mental impairments whose family said he went missing on New Year's Eve has returned home and is fine, according to the Salt Lake County Unified Police Department.
Tuifua Kanongataa, 53, got into a fight with his father sometime during the afternoon of Dec. 31 and left the house in the 1800 East block of Sycamore Lane.
After Kanongataa did not come back that night, his family called police about 4:40 p.m. on Friday, according to detective Shane Manwaring.
Several other checks led to dead ends, including contacting relatives, shelters, hospitals and a jail. An endangered person alert was issued at 10 p.m. Friday.
"We got word this morning, between 11 a.m. and noon, that he had returned home," Manwaring said.
He apparently had gone to Wendover with other family members.
The relatives who called law enforcement were worried about Kanongataa because he is diabetic and also has some mental impairments.
"They were worried he might walk away and not be able to figure out how to get home," Manwaring said.
— Linda Thomson