Man Who Walks Away From Recovery Center Still Missing

Published Jun 9, 2026 11:48 am

Missing person Ernest Gerard Babers. -- TCSO photo

East Sonora, CA – A 50-year-old man has been missing for over two months after walking away from a recovery center in East Sonora in April.

The Tuolumne County Sheriff’s Office has identified him as Ernest Gerard Babers. He was last seen on April 4, 2026, at the Refuge Recovery Center on Susan Way off Mono Way, behind the Mono Village Center.

Investigators gave this description of Babers: approximately 5’10” tall and 195 lbs., with brown eyes and black hair. He was wearing a long-sleeved maroon shirt, blue jeans, and white shoes when he left the center.

Sheriff’s officials ask that anyone who may have seen Babers or knows of his whereabouts contact the Tuolumne County Sheriff’s Office at 209-533-5815.