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OXFORD (WWJ) - An Oakland County family is growing increasingly worried for the safety of a 48-year-old man who was last seen leaving a hospital over a week ago.
The Oakland County Sheriff's Office, along with fellow community members, are now searching for Oxford resident Christopher Smith who say he hasn't been in contact with or seen by anyone in almost seven days.
WWJ's Mike Campbell reported that Smith works for Oxford Community Schools and was employed at the time of the deadly mass shooting in 2021. Campbell said Smith's wife, Nicole, explained the tragic events greatly affected her husband.
"He suffers like a lot of people after that," Campbell said. "He'd been sober for two decades, [Nicole] says, but on this past Wednesday, she says he was severely intoxicated."
According to the Oakland County Sheriff's Office, Smith was taken to McLaren Oakland Hospital in Pontiac the morning of Wednesday, March 29, but signed himself out around 6:30 p.m. and left on foot.
"He was expected to be treated there, but he hasn't been seen since," Campbell continued. "They've checked surveillance footage and some say he wasn't even spotted entering the hospital. Others say if he was admitted or treated at the hospital, they would've make sure he had a ride home."
Smith's wife says her husband didn't have a car and they're growing increasingly worried the longer he is missing.
A Facebook group organized to help with search efforts say they have already searched the BP Gas station on Pontiac Lake Rd and M-59, the Gin Mill Liquor store also off Pontiac Lake and M-59, the empty lot behind Gin Mill, the 7/11 on Pontiac Lake and Crescent Lake, the Waterford schools bus garage, the Pontiac Library, the local train station, the Clinton River and Oak Hill Cemetery off M-59 and Woodward along with the Hope Shelter.
Smith is described by authorities as a white male standing 6' 2" tall and weighing roughly 250 to 260 lbs. He has brown hair and blue eyes. He may possibly be wearing a dark-colored baseball cap in either red or blue colors, khaki cargo type pants, a black hoodie or a North Face-style jacket.
He was wearing two different shoes and several necklaces and bracelets.
Anyone with any information about Smith's whereabouts or anyone who has any information on him has been asked to contact the Oakland County Sheriff's Office at 248-969-3077 or 248-858-4951.
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