PESOTUM — A missing Bloomington woman has been found safe after spending two nights in the home of a good Samaritan, police said.

Carmon D. Edwards, 53, walked into Illinois State Police District 10 headquarters in Pesotum shortly before 1 p.m., accompanied by a man from Mattoon, said Bloomington Police Detective Jeff Engle. The man had spotted her on the streets of Mattoon, walking in confusion on Christmas, Engle said. Earlier that day, Edwards — who police say suffers from a "recent cognitive decline" — got lost while attempting to drive from Bloomington to visit kin in Tazewell County. She ended up 80 miles southeast from home, in Mattoon — where the kind stranger let her stay at his home until he finally figured out her backstory Wednesday, police said.

"It was a great relief," the detective said. "It could've ended in the worst way, but we got the best way. It was awesome."

Edwards was reunited with fretful family Wednesday afternoon.

"We are so relieved that she is safe and sound," said a daughter, Lindsay Edwards of Pekin. "We will forever be grateful to the gentleman that found her and made sure she was safe and out of the cold."

Carmon Edwards was last seen in Bloomington about 11 a.m. Monday. Driving alone, she intended to travel to Washington or Pekin (or possibly both) to visit relatives, police said. A state police plane was to begin tracing that route Tuesday in search of her car.

However, after her disappearance was publicized by news media and social media Tuesday, witnesses reported having spotted her in Mattoon. Her family believes she might have accidentally headed east on Interstate 74 (and later south to Mattoon) rather than west on I-74 toward Tazewell County. Family and police said Carmon Edwards has no connection to Mattoon or the surrounding area.

"It looks like she went the wrong way on I-74," the daughter said. " ... She is truly confused."

About 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, police in Mattoon found Carmon Edwards' 2004 Mitsubishi Galant along a residential street in the middle of the city. The car showed no signs of foul play, police said. Authorities began to canvass the area under the assumption that Edwards had taken off on foot and possibly faced near-zero temperatures outside.

However, she was comfortably staying in the home of a local man who had spotted her walking on a Mattoon street on Christmas, Detective Engle said. Realizing something amiss with Edwards, the stranger "asked her a bunch of questions," but she could not explain what had brought her to Mattoon, Engle said. So, the stranger offered to let her stay at his house, where she remained through Wednesday morning.

Engle did not divulge all aspects of the investigation, including why the stranger did not immediately contact police. However, police suspect no ulterior motive.

"He wasn't a creepy guy," Engle said. "There aren't many good Samaritans like that. It gives you faith in humanity when someone would take you in when it's zero degrees out. We need more people like that. He is just a very, very great man."

Wednesday, the man first noticed a news report about a missing Bloomington woman. After concluding Edwards was the woman in his home, he drove her 30 miles north to the nearest state police headquarters, in Pesotum. Edwards, in apparently good health, was soon greeted by family, who had been searching gas stations and rest stops in addition to waging a social-media campaign.

Late Wednesday afternoon, her daughter expressed "a huge thank you to everyone who shared her story and looked for her. We also owe a big thank you to the Bloomington PD, specifically Detective Jeff Engle, Mattoon PD, and the District 10 State Police Officers."

The good Samaritan asked police not to release his name, Engle said.

"He doesn't want any limelight," Engle said.

PHIL LUCIANO is a Journal Star columnist. He can be reached at pluciano@pjstar.com, facebook.com/philluciano and (309) 686-3155. Follow him on Twitter.com/LucianoPhil. Nick Vlahos can be reached at nvlahos@pjstar.com or 686-3285. Follow him on Twitter @VlahosNick.

