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Lara Emanuele, 46, was reported missing after failing to return home from work on Wednesday, June 7.
Her vehicle containing her abandoned cell phone was found the following day in the nearby parking lot of a hotel on Howard Boulevard.
Emaneuele, of Roxbury, was seen “[exiting] her vehicle in the parking lot alone and [departing] of her own free will,” Morris County Prosecutor Robert Carroll said.
Her disappearance is not considered suspicious, though there is concern for her wellbeing, the prosecutor added.
Search efforts have been focused on the Berkshire Valley State Wildlife Management Area and surrounding areas via K-9’s, trained civilians, and technical assistance, such as drones.
The search is being conducted by the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office Missing Persons Unit, Roxbury Police Department, Morris County Sheriff’s Office, New Jersey State Police Missing Persons Unit, New Jersey State Police K9 Unit, New Jersey Search and Rescue, Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office K9, Bergen County Sheriff’s Office K9, Pennsylvania Search and Rescue, and the Conservation Police.
“We understand that this is a difficult time for Ms. Emanuele’s family, and the Roxbury Alexander Hamilton School communities,” Prosecutor Carroll said. “Law enforcement has been working diligently to locate Ms. Emanuele, carried out by many law enforcement professionals and trained civilians, so far over the course of a grueling 21 days, in challenging conditions. The officers and volunteers who work tirelessly to find Ms. Emanuele deserve our gratitude.”
Anyone with information is urged to contact the Roxbury Police Department at 973-448-2100 or the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office Missing Persons Unit On-Call Detective through the Morris County Communications Center at 973-285-2900.
“We know Ms. Emanuele was a special person, evident in the outpouring of support and offers to help this case has generated,” said Prosecutor Carroll. “Regrettably, her disappearance has also spawned rumors and speculation on social media, spread by people falsely claiming to represent law enforcement. Out of respect and consideration for Emanuele’s family, there will be no further comment on the details of this investigation.”
Scroll down to view additional photos of the search for Lara Emanuele.
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