Family fears worst as man with intellectual disability goes missing

The police are urgently searching in Apeldoorn for 33-year-old Samed, a man with an intellectual disability who has been missing since Friday. He went cycling and never returned to the care institution in Apeldoorn where he lives, his cousin Mustafa told Hart van Nederland. The man urgently needs medication.

According to Mustafa, a supervisor saw Samed leave the care institution’s grounds on his bicycle on Friday. Residents are allowed to go outside, but Samed never returned. Samed doesn’t know the area well – he’s only been living at this institution for three weeks.

Samed’s family is very concerned. Samed is dependent on chronic medication. “He looks good, but he has the mind of a 5-year-old,” Mustafa said. “We fear the worst.”

According to the police, Samed was last seen on Rustoordlaan in Apeldoorn around midnight on Friday. The police asked locals to check their security- and doorbell cameras for any sign of the man.

On Sunday, a Veteran Search Team combed the Gelderland city. On Monday, the police continued the search using drones to comb a cornfield in the De Barnewinkel area, but so far, there’s no sign of the man, Omroep Gelderland reported.

Samed is 1.7 meters tall, with a stout posture and short, buzz-cut hair. He was last seen wearing a sand-colored jacket and black Adidas pants. “Samed left on a black transport ladies bicycle with a rack, but without a crate,” a police spokesperson told the broadcaster.

The police stressed that anyone who encounters Samed should approach him calmly as he may be frightened or respond anxiously. “And call 112. Every tip, no matter how small, can be of great importance,” the spokesperson said.