SPRINGFIELD, MA (WGGB/WSHM) - A desperate search continues in Springfield for a man who was last seen wearing only shorts in Sunday’s freezing cold and police need your help to bring him home.

Springfield Police are asking folks to help them find 57-year-old Juan Nieves and would like people to check backyards, sheds, and anywhere someone might seek shelter.

Nieves is nonverbal with advanced dementia. He walked away from his home on Manor Court, near Allen Street, Sunday night wearing only shorts. Police added that survival depends on whether he found shelter. “Mr. Nieves were not dressed for the weather. It was a bitterly cold Sunday and, with his medical conditions, it makes him extremely high risk to be outside,” said Springfield Police spokesperson Ryan Walsh.

Police and volunteers are searching areas including Harkness Avenue, South Branch Parkway, and local parks. “We’re asking people if they can check their cameras, check their backyards, and check their properties. You know, especially with the snow, it’s helpful to see any footprints that might not be your own, that someone might have wandered in the area. So, it could be anywhere in that area. It’s East Longmeadow, East Forest Park, in Forest Park, Sixteen Acres,” Walsh added.

It’s now been three nights in freezing temperatures. With Nieves’s medical condition, every hour matters. Police also recommended families with loved ones who have similar medical conditions consider tracking devices like watches and work with local police departments to set up silver alerts.

If anyone sees Nieves or any signs someone sought shelter on your property, call 911 immediately.

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