Family fighting for answers after man vanishes from facility

HOUSTON – A local family is fighting for answers after their loved one vanished from a facility he called home.

Tommy Lee Lowery has been missing since last month. His family believes more could have been done to prevent it from happening.

It's been more than a month and a half since an elderly man with dementia disappeared from a group home. His loved ones say the home isn't as secure or as reputable as they were led to believe.

"My worst fear is that my father is no longer alive," said Tammy Johnson.

She says the Christmas holidays just aren't the same without her father. The 68-year-old disappeared on Nov. 3 in broad daylight. He had been living at the Brighter Horizons group home in Spring at the time of his disappearance.

"The owner stated it's a personal care home; we have personal key locks, we're trained to take care of your father and administer the medication. That's what I was paying for," Johnson said.

The owner of Brighter Horizons waved at us during the news conference, but wouldn't answer the door when we tried to ask questions. According to Johnson, she found out only after her father disappeared that Brighter Horizons is more than a group home for the elderly with medical issues.

"We have residents living here, some convicted felons. Some with violent crimes. There should be a law where they have to release that information to potential clients," said Quanell X.

After Lowery vanished, EquuSearch volunteers looked for him, but came up empty-handed. The disappearance of a man described a sweet and soft-spoken has also taken a toll on neighbors.

"I think it's very sad. I pray every night he's found," said Robin Melton.

Terry Melton said, "I  talk to her quite a bit and we're doing what we can do to try to find him."

"We just need closure need him back and need answers," Johnson said.

There is another search scheduled for this weekend lead by EquuSearch. Family members are also asking for volunteers.

Johnson says she would also like law enforcement to spend more time working to find her father.