FORT THOMAS, Ky. — After a morning of searching, a critical missing father and husband was found dead by search party members on Saturday morning, police confirmed.
Police issued a critical missing alert Friday morning for 36-year-old Chad Smith, a known business-owner in the Fort Thomas community.
Authorities organized a volunteer search and rescue out of Cincinnati Music Hall on Elm St. Saturday morning at 8 a.m. A man's body was found later that morning near the Ohio River and Paul Brown Stadium in Cincinnati, according Fort Thomas police.
We can’t thank the community enough for all your love and support! Please keep us and Chads family in your thoughts and prayers!
Posted by Help Find Chad Smith on Saturday, December 19, 2015
Smith co-founded and co-owns Foster & Flux, an animation studio based in Downtown Cincinnati. According to WCPO media partner Fort Thomas Matters, Smith was one of the artists who worked on the annual visual-musical performance Lumenocity this year.
According to Ft. Thomas Police Lt. Rich Whitford, Smith left his home sometime early Monday morning, and was last seen around noon that day in the Winton Terrace area of Cincinnati.
“He’s a nice guy, a businessman in the city of Ft. Thomas,” Whitford told reporters Friday afternoon. “The family has no idea what’s going on, and they’re worried and scared and want their father and husband back.”
Smith was married with three children.
Whitford confirmed what others claiming to know Smith said earlier Friday on Reddit: Smith recently had begun to exhibit behavior that was out of the ordinary.
“He’s had a change in mental status recently,” Whitford said, explaining what qualified Smith as a “critical missing” case.
Whitford did not confirm the nature of Smith’s change in mental status.
Whitford said the FTPD was partnering with the Cincinnati Police Department and search and recovery provider Texas Equusearch in the effort to locate Smith.
David Rader, director for the Ohio chapter of Texas Equusearch, sent volunteer search crews through Downtown, Winton Terrace, Clifton and homeless camps.
