Caretaker Charged After Missing Woman Found Alive

Linda DaLomba, a 45-year-old nonverbal autistic woman, was found alive in an SUV in Cranston, RI, after being missing for nearly four days. The breakthrough came when Cranston resident Savong Sam discovered DaLomba in the back of a vehicle he was repairing. Her caregiver, Roberta Gerard, initially reported DaLomba missing and provided conflicting accounts of her disappearance, leading to her arrest and charges including abuse, neglect, and obstruction. DaLomba was evaluated at Rhode Island Hospital and is reportedly in good health. The case has raised questions about the need for better systems to assist in locating missing individuals with disabilities, prompting Mayor Ken Hopkins to propose the 'Linda Alert' bill. The investigation is ongoing, with authorities seeking to understand how DaLomba ended up in the SUV and how long she was there.