Missing Naperville man is found OK

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Charles Catlett Jr., 21, of Naperville, who was missing since Monday morning, has been found.

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Updated: March 2, 2012 8:06AM

A 21-year-old man with autism who disappeared early Monday morning from his family’s home in Naperville has been found, reportedly after taking a train to eastern Illinois.

Charles R. Catlett Jr. was located late Monday night or early Tuesday, Naperville police Sgt. Gregg Bell said Tuesday afternoon. He appeared to be in good physical condition, and “arrangements are being made to reunite his family with the young man,” Bell said.

Charles Jr. is known to family, friends and neighbors as “Rich” or “Richie.” He vanished about 6 a.m. Monday, just as he was about to start working a new job.

Bell would not comment on a statement from a Catlett family acquaintance, who said it was his understanding Rich Catlett boarded a passenger train and traveled to an undisclosed city or town in eastern Illinois.

Police are continuing to investigate Rich Catlett’s disappearance, although Bell said the investigation is not criminal in nature.

Rich Catlett lives with his parents, Charles and Joan Catlett, in their house in the Clow Creek neighborhood on Naperville’s far southwest side. The couple reportedly have another son and a daughter.

No one appeared to be home Tuesday afternoon. A note printed in bright-red lettering that was taped to the front door proclaimed, “Rich Catlett was found safe! Thank you for your support and prayers.”

Naperville police spent Monday night in the far southern and southwestern parts of town handing out flyers bearing Rich Catlett’s photograph and physical description. Sgt. Brad Marsh said investigators met Monday night with Charles and Joan Catlett and searched their house for a second time, on the chance they had missed Rich Catlett during their initial walk-through or that he had managed to return without being seen.

The Catletts told The Sun Monday afternoon their son was to have started a new job that morning in food service at Edward Hospital in Naperville.

“He must’ve gotten a little confused, because he went on a new schedule today,” Joan Catlett said. “We wonder if there was some sort of disconnect there. He was gone this morning” when the couple awoke, she said.

Joan Catlett said her son is a runner, “and he has got incredible stamina.” She added he typically runs on a treadmill at home, but also is in training to run a half marathon.

She said Rich Catlett had never done anything like this before. “He is not like that,” she said.

Police Cmdr. Mike Anders worked Monday afternoon near the Catlett home in the search operation. The Naperville Emergency Management Mobile Operation Center was parked on a nearby street.

A Chicago Police Department helicopter flew over the area about 2 p.m. Monday “looking all around the (DuPage) river and forest preserves” for the missing man, Anders said at the scene.

Approximately 20 police officers and members of two emergency management agencies completed a search of the area Monday afternoon. “We were in people’s backyards, public buildings” and other places in the southern end of town, Anders said.

Members of the Naperville Emergency Management Group and Will County Search and Rescue assisted in the search. Anders added Rich Catlett had “no other underlying medical condition that we are aware of” other than autism.