Family asking for public’s help in finding man with mental illness

Family looking for Byron Johnson. “He’s actually turning 38 today. Today is his birthday,” Clayton Johnson said.

SOUTHFIELD, Mich. – A local family is looking for one of their loves ones. They said Byron Johnson, 38, has a mental illness and disappeared. They’re now asking for your help.

“He’s actually turning 38 today. Today is his birthday,” Clayton Johnson said.

Clayton Johnson said this is not how he thought he would be celebrating his brother Byron Johnson’s birthday. His brother is missing.

“So my brother, who suffers from mental illness, he’s been diagnosed with schizophrenia. He walked away from his group home,” Clayton Johnson said.

Clayton Johnson said Tuesday they got a call from a Southfield group home on Philip Drive, near Northwestern Highway and Greenfield Area.

“According to the group home, he left upset,” Clayton Johnson said. “Police were called out and a missing person report was made.”

Clayton Johnson said his family has been looking for his brother since then. He said every day counts.

“He has been without his medication, now since Tuesday,” Clayton Johnson said. “So that’s a concern as well. He’s 5′7, around 250-260 pounds. He does have facial hair. Sometimes he keeps it in a goatee, sometimes it’s just on the middle of his chin. He’s not dangerous to himself or anybody else. I don’t even know if he’s aware that he’s missing right now.”

“Unfortunately, when he walked off, he left everything. No phone, no wallet, no I.D., so he’s just out here. We really just want to get him safe and found,” Clayton Johnson said.

Clayton Johnson is asking anyone who sees his brother to call Southfield police.