(WSAZ Photo / Brooks Jarosz)

(WSAZ Photo / Brooks Jarosz)

UPDATE 6/21/12 @ 6:15p.m.

PUTNAM COUNTY, W.Va. (WSAZ) -- A Putnam County man known to wander off has been found safe for the second time this week.

Over the last month, 64-year-old Kenneth Cantrell has left his family's home more than a half dozen times.

Just this week, he was hospitalized after being rescued and treated for some minor cuts.

The family has started working on a plan to keep him safe, but that plan was not put in place soon enough.

It's a battle between Mr. Cantrell's altered state of mind and the family's horrifying reality that something has to give and soon.

"You don't need to be doing this to me again," Candy Moore said.

"No! I won't," Mr. Cantrell said.

Those were words exchanged Tuesday afternoon between Candy Moore and her father, Mr. Cantrell. This after a four-hour search by several law enforcement agencies found him lost in the nearby woods.

It was the worst yet, in a string incidents, of what has become a pattern of behavior for the 64-year-old who suffers from severe dementia.

On Thursday morning, Cantrell pulled another disappearing act.

"I'm facing a hard time learning new things about this I've never been faced with until now and this is multiple times he's escaped only this time it's worse than it was last time," Moore said.

"It's tough, but we're going to do it. It's a drain on our resources also," Sheriff Mark Smith, Putnam County Sheriff said.

While Sheriff Mark Smith sympathizes, he said families have to get a hold on their loved ones before it's too late.

"I don't know what else to do except put padlocks on the doors to keep him in the house," Moore said.

"They may have to consider hiring full-time help to monitor him or put him in a facility," Sheriff Smith said.

If a child repeatedly wandered from the home, the caregivers would most likely be charged with neglect, so what about when it's an adult?

"This is a special circumstance," Sheriff Smith said. "You've got to think these folks are doing all they can do to take care of dad."

Moore said they planned to take her dad to sign him up for Project Lifesaver today. Sheriff Smith cautions that's merely a tracking device and doesn't substitute for good supervision.

UPDATE 6/21/12 @ 7:40 a.m.
PUTNAM COUNTY, W.Va. (WSAZ) -- A man known to go missing from his Putnam County home has been found safely.

For a second time this week, search crews have searched along Route 34 near the Putnam-Jackson county line for Kenneth Cantrell, 64, according to Putnam County 911 Dispatchers.

The latest incident happened Thursday morning. Kenneth went missing from his home about 6:15 a.m. and was later found over the hill in the woods near his neighbor's home.

The other incident happened on Tuesday when he was missing for more than three hours.

Kenneth's daughter tells WSAZ.com Kenneth suffers from a severe case of dementia and is known to wander off nearly a half dozen times in recent weeks in fear someone will hurt him.

The family was planning to make sure all of Kenneth's doors at his home were bolted shut so he couldn't get out anymore.

The family was also considering an ankle bracelet so they know where he is at all times.

Kenneth was found safe on Thursday, but the family still asked for him to be checked out, according to dispatchers.

Keep clicking on WSAZ.com for the latest information.

Search crews are out searching Thursday morning for Kenneth Cantrell, 64, along Route 34 near the Putnam-Jackson county line.

Kenneth was last seen about 6:15 a.m. Thursday. Law enforcement, fire departments and EMS are on the scene trying to locate him.

When Kenneth went missing from his home on Tuesday for more than three hours, family members told WSAZ.com Kenneth suffers from a severe case of dementia and is known to wander off nearly a half dozen times in recent weeks in fear someone will hurt him.

When Kenneth was found on Tuesday over a hill near his home, the family requested a mental evaluation. Kenneth promised one of his daughters at that time he wouldn't leave his home again by himself.

The family was also planning to make sure all of Kenneth's doors at his home were bolted shut so he couldn't get out anymore.

The family was also considering an ankle bracelet so they know where he is at all times.

We have a crew headed out to the search. Keep clicking on WSAZ.com for more information.

Search crews were out searching for the man along Route 34 near the Putnam-Jackson county line.

Kenneth Cantrell, 64, of Putnam County, was reported missing about 9:30 a.m. Tuesday and wasn't found until 1:30 p.m.

Family members tell WSAZ.com Kenneth suffers from a severe case of dementia and is known to wander off nearly a half dozen times in recent weeks in fear someone will hurt him. The most recent incident happened Monday, according to his family. He promised one of his daughters at that time he wouldn't leave his home again by himself.

"I turn my back and he's gone again," daughter Candy Moore said. "It's scary, I don't want to go through this. I'm going to bolt his door shut."

West Virginia State Police brought in a dog to help with the search efforts. Before the dog searched the area, he smelled a piece of Kenneth's clothing and within ten minutes he was able to find him over a hillside in the woods not far from his home.

"I didn't think he'd go over the hill like that," ex-wife Sue Yong said. "He's been walking the roadway and going up on the hill where he could be found. This time he went too far away."

Several fire departments were also on standby to help in the search.

Family members tell WSAZ.com they are so relieved that crews were able to locate him because they feared for his safety.

Cantrell did suffer a cut to his leg and arm, but his injuries were minor.

Cantrell tells WSAZ.com he heard something behind his home and went to check it out.

"I walked over the hill to see what was that noise -- I tried to but I fell," Kenneth Cantrell said.

Cantrell was grateful for the police and firefighters who came to his rescue.

"From the bottom of my heart, I appreciate that," Cantrell said.

He was taken to CAMC General where he will have a mental evaluation.

Family members say they love him very much and they were so worried they wouldn't see him again and they were so happy to find him safe in the woods.