An elderly couple from Tennessee, diagnosed with dementia and Alzheimer's, fled a nursing home thanks to military experience and Morse code that helped to crack the lock on the door, The Tennessean reported.
The incident that took place in March at the Elmcroft assisted living facility in the city of Lebanon, involved an elderly woman and her husband, who as young man served in the army, managed to decipher and memorize using tricks from using Morse code the electronic lock code, which was normally dialed by the staff of the facility.
The couple was found by a passer-by half an hour after their escape, as they walked down a road two blocks from the nursing home. The facility was fined $2,000 and required to change all codes on their electronic locks and take other measures to prevent further breakouts.
"We are thankful both residents were returned to the community safely. We reported the situation to the state and their family immediately after it happened and fully cooperated with the state during its review,” the facility said in a statement to FOX 23.