MORRISTOWN, NEW JERSEY: Authorities in Morris County are intensifying their search for Lara Emanuele, a 46-year-old third-grade teacher at Alexander Hamilton Elementary School in Morristown, who has been missing for nearly three weeks. Emanuele was last seen on June 7 in Roxbury, and her car was found abandoned the following morning outside the Holiday Inn Express in Mount Arlington.
Surveillance footage from the hotel confirmed that Emanuele parked her car and exited the vehicle. However, she was not seen entering the hotel, according to an employee who spoke with the police. The authorities have been conducting extensive searches in the nearby Berkshire Valley State Wildlife Management Area using K9 units since June 8. Notably, the search area is characterized by heavily wooded terrain.
Lara Emanuele's search receives widespread support
County officials have stated that Emanuele's disappearance is not considered suspicious at this moment. However, her neighbors in Randolph expressed concern and shock upon learning about her disappearance. Jessica Gally, a neighbor, voiced her hope for Emanuele's safe return. "I had no idea she was missing. I hope they find her. That's scary," she told CBS2.
Friends of Emanuele have taken to social media, sharing pictures of her and utilizing the hashtag #BringHerHome. They also mentioned that Emanuele's phone and wallet were left behind in her car, which they believe is highly uncharacteristic of her behavior. The New Jersey Education Association, the state's teacher's union, expressed their concern for Emanuele's welfare, releasing a statement in support of her colleagues and the Morristown community, which reads, "We are very concerned for Ms. Emanuele. We stand in solidarity with her colleagues and the entire Morristown community in hoping for her safe return very soon."
Search operation for Lara Emanuele involves multiple agencies
Meghan Knab, a spokesperson for the Morris County Prosecutor's Office, confirmed that a coordinated search operation involving multiple agencies had been underway daily since June 8. The Morris County Prosecutor's Office, Roxbury Police Department, Morris County Sheriff's Office, New Jersey State Police, Middlesex County Prosecutor's Office, Bergen County Sheriff's Office, and New Jersey Search and Rescue are all involved in the search efforts. Knab told Patch that the investigation is still being treated as a missing persons case and assured the public that any significant updates or changes in the investigation's focus would be promptly shared.
Public caution issued by Morris County authorities
Morris County Prosecutor Robert Carroll advised against unauthorized individuals entering the search area due to the dense vegetation and potentially hazardous wildlife. He said, "The search area is comprised of heavily wooded terrain, and there are areas that may have dangerous wildlife. Trained K-9 dogs being utilized to track in the search area, and having unknown individuals in that area could impact the search efforts."
In an effort to gather more information, the police have specifically reached out to hunters who have installed trail cameras in the Berkshire Valley region. They are requested to review all footage captured since June 7 and contact Detective Tom Gaboda directly at tgaboda@roxburypd.com if they notice anyone on their recordings. Morris County authorities continue to employ all available resources to locate Emanuele. Furthermore, Morris County Prosecutor Carroll assured the public that they understood the concerns and would provide updates whenever possible. Police have described Emanuele as a Caucasian female, approximately 5 feet 6 inches tall, with red hair, and weighing around 125 pounds.
If you or anyone you know has information regarding Lara Emanuele's whereabouts, you are urged to contact the Roxbury Police Department at 973-448-2100 or the Morris County Prosecutor's Office Missing Persons Unit On-Call Detective via the Morris County Communications Center at 973-285-2900.
