SAFE Alert canceled after nonverbal 23-year-old in Phoenix found safe

A SAFE Alert that was issued Friday for a missing nonverbal 23-year-old man last seen in Phoenix was canceled a few hours later.

The Phoenix Police Department said Payden Deontae Simmons was found safe and would be reunited with his family.

Simmons was previously last seen on foot near 83rd Avenue and Camelback Road on Wednesday, authorities said.

This is the second SAFE Alert issued in his name this month. Two weeks ago, employees of a Glendale Walmart found him in good health while a similar alert was issued for him.

Simmons is described as 6 feet tall and 145 pounds, with black hair and brown eyes. He was last seen wearing a green shirt with a graphic design and shorts, police said.

SAFE Alerts have replaced Silver Alerts in Arizona as a way to spread the word about missing persons who are 65 and older and missing persons who have dementia or developmental/cognitive disabilities.

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