HOPEWELL TOWNSHIP — The father of a 48-year-old township man who disappeared more than a week ago without his car, coat or cell phone says the family is concerned for his safety, as police investigating the case say they have few leads.

Christopher Franz was at his sister’s house in Bucks County Jan. 6 when he disappeared, his father Andrew Franz said today. His son left on foot without a coat, and he and the police said there has been no activity on Christopher Franz’s bank account since then.

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“The worst thing that can happen to a parent is you lose them before you go,” Andrew Franz said. “Yes, I’m very worried.”

Police in Solebury, Pa. did a full search for Christopher Franz the night of Jan. 6, sending out dogs and a helicopter, Hopewell Lt. Lance Maloney said. They tracked Franz as going south, but lost his trail soon afterward.

Maloney said that Franz, who has bipolar disorder, went missing once before, from July 30 to August 1 of last year. He was found by chance on a golf course by police in Falls Township, Pa. and taken home.

On Jan. 6, Christopher Franz left the home he shares with his father in Hopewell and drove to his sister’s house in the Lumberville section of Solebury. It appeared to his sister that he needed medical care, Andrew Franz said.

“She could see there was something wrong with him,” he said.

As she got her coat to take him to the hospital, her brother left the home, and he has not been seen since then. Police entered Franz as a missing person in the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) database, so any officer nationwide who comes upon him will contact Hopewell officers.

Christopher Franz is not violent, the police and his father said.

“I have to stress this again: he’s a very gentle person,” Andrew Franz said.

He said he believed his son went to New Jersey, crossing the river on a footbridge that connects Lumberville and Bull’s Island State Park in Delaware Township.

Though Christopher Franz is an Eagle Scout who knows the woods, his father said he was starting to despair as his son’s disappearance entered its second week.

“It’s getting there where I’m slowly losing hope,” he said.

Christopher Franz is described as a white male, 5 foot 10 inches tall, 161 pounds, with brown hair and brown eyes. He was wearing blue jeans, brown leather chukka boots and a white, three-button Henley long sleeve shirt.

Anyone who has any information about Franz’s whereabouts is asked to call township police at (609) 737-3100.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) — A Kentucky family is asking for the public’s help to find a man they believe is missing in Tallahassee.

Samone Goldsberry says her brother Bo Dallas Atchison, 29, was on his way from Owesnboro, Kentucky to Clearwater, Florida.

Goldsberry says the family last heard from Atchison January 7, saying he was in Tallahassee. Family members say Atchison came to Tallahassee with a friend on a Greyhound bus and spent several days in the capital city and were registered at The Shelter on January 4 and 5.

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Goldsberry says her brother has been diagnosed with several mental health disorders including ADHD and paranoia schizophrenia. She adds that Atchison has never gone more than one day without calling family.

Family members have set up a Facebook page asking for the public’s help to find Atchison.

Anyone who may recognize him is urged to call local law enforcement.

STOCKTON – Authorities recently launched a new alert system designed to help law enforcement officials find missing elderly people.

The Silver Alert system is similar to the Amber Alert system authorities have used to locate missing children since 2002, but it was implemented Jan. 1 to find missing people 65 and older.

“The Silver Alert is an emergency system that allows law enforcement to broadcast regional or statewide alerts for missing seniors who meet specific criteria,” said Officer James Smith, a spokesman for the California Highway Patrol.

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“The plan uses alert technology that includes the Emergency Digital Information System messages, be-on-the-lookout broadcasts and electronic fliers, which allows officials to send out critical information so that the public can help authorities safely locate the missing person.”

The CHP activates the Silver Alert system upon request if someone 65 or older is reported missing to a law enforcement agency and the circumstances of their disappearance meet certain criteria. The system was first used to locate an 82-year-old Elk Grove man who was reported missing Jan. 1, Smith said.

Before requesting a Silver Alert, the CHP said, authorities must determine if the person is missing under unexplained or suspicious circumstances; if that person is in danger due to age, health, mental or physical disability, environment or weather conditions; if that person is in the company of a potentially dangerous person; if there are other indications that the missing person might be in peril; or if there is information that would assist in the safe recovery of the missing person if made available to the public.

Deputy Les Garcia, a spokesman for the San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Office, shared a personal story about an elderly relative who left his Stockton home to drive to the store, became disoriented and ended up in Modesto before family members found him.

“I think any type of system we can implement to help us find our elderly is outstanding,” Garcia said. “I think this is a long time coming, and I think having the resources to reach out across the state to share that information with other law enforcement agencies is something that’s beneficial to us all.”

Other local law enforcement officials agreed.

“Anything that will aid in locating any at-risk elderly adult is a useful tool and will be beneficial for law enforcement,” said Officer Joe Silva, a spokesman for the Stockton Police Department. “As people get older, you’re going to see more individuals who start developing medical conditions like Alzheimer’s and dementia, so anything that helps law enforcement get that information out to the public will help us protect our seniors.”