Found Safe NJ - Judy Engelmann, 48, North Plainfield, 8 Feb 2008 [Archive]

View Full Version : Found Safe NJ - Judy Engelmann, 48, North Plainfield, 8 Feb 2008

JrZyChris

02-09-2008, 11:30 PM

The URL for the article below is: http://tinyurl.com/36o6qa

I am registered on the site, hopefully that link will bring you right into the article. Pictures of Judy are available here:

http://www.adirondackinternet.com/index/judy

Please take a look, maybe you can help this family.

Article from NJ.com:
North Plainfield woman missing

by Seung Min Kim/The Star-Ledger Saturday February 09, 2008, 6:19 PM

North Plainfield police are investigating the disappearance of a woman with a medical condition whose family has been searching since finding her house empty and unlocked on Friday, according to authorities.
Relatives began looking for Judy Engelmann, 48, when she didn't show up for a series of appointments Friday morning. The door of her home on Mountain View Drive, where she lives alone, was unlocked and her car was in the driveway, said relatives, who found her pocketbook, keys, cell phone and coat still in the house.

Relatives said Engelmann takes medication for a health condition that her sister, Karen Hall, declined to disclose. But Hall said the condition can "dramatically" increase Engelmann's anxiety level. Engelmann had also suffered lately from sleep deprivation, Hall said.
She is described as about 5 foot 7 and 170 pounds, with shoulder-length graying brown hair and green eyes. She has a mole on her left ear, and she was likely wearing casual clothes, family members said.
The family filed a missing persons report with North Plainfield police on Friday night. North Plainfield police Officer Stacey Aivaliotis said authorities were investigating it as a missing persons case, but declined further comment, including whether police suspect foul play.

Hiker

02-10-2008, 05:45 AM

..... Relatives began looking for Judy Engelmann, 48, when she didn't show up for a series of appointments Friday morning......Any idea what the 'series of appointments' were? Was she facing something that might cause a person to want to disappear or commit suicide? Sad as this is to say, I would start by searching all wooded or hidden areas within easy walking distance of her home for her remains. If she had simply run away, she would have likely taken at least some of her personal effects.

Since the home shows no sign of a struggle or anything amiss, if this were an abduction, she likely knew and trusted the abductor.

LionRun

02-10-2008, 06:51 AM

I hope and pray that Judy is found safe. Is there a bus stop within walking distance to Judy's home? Do you know if any and all of Judy's friends/acquaintances have been interviewed to determine if they picked her up and dropped her somewhere?

Lion

fengelmann

02-10-2008, 05:04 PM

Thank you everyone for your thoughts and concern. We're focusing on facts and clues and trying to avoid speculation, so please forgive my limited answers.

Any idea what the 'series of appointments' were? Was she facing something that might cause a person to want to disappear or commit suicide? Sad as this is to say, I would start by searching all wooded or hidden areas within easy walking distance of her home for her remains. If she had simply run away, she would have likely taken at least some of her personal effects.

Judy missed a 10 AM haircut Friday morning; but more notable was a lunch date with her long-time best friend, who was in town for a few days from her home out west.

We would be surprised if she was suicidal; although we must consider the possibility. There was no indication or history of such thoughts or behavior.

There were indications that she felt the need to hide or disappear; and we are checking probable destinations and people.

At this time we would ask readers in the Boston area to keep an eye out for her. She may be trying to find a friend in the area but we don't know his location.

Fred Engelmann

hoppyfrog

02-10-2008, 05:20 PM

Thanks for stopping by to post. There are a lot of good people here who care. Please keep us posted.

Blessings,

Hoppy

Hiker

02-10-2008, 05:47 PM

Thank you everyone for your thoughts and concern. We're focusing on facts and clues and trying to avoid speculation, so please forgive my limited answers.

Judy missed a 10 AM haircut Friday morning; but more notable was a lunch date with her long-time best friend, who was in town for a few days from her home out west.

We would be surprised if she was suicidal; although we must consider the possibility. There was no indication or history of such thoughts or behavior.

There were indications that she felt the need to hide or disappear; and we are checking probable destinations and people.

At this time we would ask readers in the Boston area to keep an eye out for her. She may be trying to find a friend in the area but we don't know his location.

Fred EngelmannFirst, {{{ Fred }}} My heart goes out to you. We have had a child go missing in the past. Our prayers are with you.

Glad to hear the appointments were routine. You say see was showing signs of needing to hide or disappear.... I hope she has just chosen to disappear and will call you soon.

Renee

hoppyfrog

02-12-2008, 11:11 AM

http://www.c-n.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080211/FRONT01/80211038

As police continued to canvass the neighborhood where a woman disappeared late last week and checked local motels in the ongoing search effort, family members Monday brainstormed reasons why 48-year-old Judy Engelmann would vanish from her home. "She's a very hard-working, responsible, single mother of twins who are now 25," said Engelmann's sister, Karen Hall, during a telephone interview from Engelmann's Mountainview Drive home. "She's never done anything irresponsible to this degree ... this is not a characteristic of Judy, so of course we're all alarmed because there's no trace of her."

Described as about 5 feet, 8 inches tall with shoulder-length graying brown hair, Engelmann last talked with family members by phone Thursday night.

At 8 p.m. the next day, after Engelmann missed a lunch date and a hair appointment, her family reported her missing, borough police Chief William Parenti said.

Remaining in Engelmann's home were her purse, cell phone, house keys and anxiety medication, police and family said. Her car was also left behind.

and

To view photos and a full description of Engelmann, visit www.adirondackinternet.com/index/judy (http://www.adirondackinternet.com/index/judy).

more at link

Tranaice

02-12-2008, 12:07 PM

My thoughts and prayers are with this family.

gaia227

02-12-2008, 01:27 PM

I've read through the links. Does anyone know if she had any ex-boyfriends, ex-husbands, etc who she may have had a volatile relationship with? Given the lack of struggle evident, if she did not leave on her own accord then it seems most likely she left or was taken by someone she knew.
Hopefully this will have a happy ending and she will be found safe. My thoughts are with the family.

fengelmann

02-14-2008, 11:11 PM

Once again thank you everyone for your concern and support. With the welcome and additional attention, our family is unable to keep up with all the various discussions and news coverage.

Readers please note this new web site that we hope will centralize our efforts. I will continue to monitor and respond to existing forums, but must concentrate first on our coordinated efforts.

Please contribute your ideas and experience at http://judyengelmann.com. The forums there will be activated on Friday 15 February; and we hope to develop the site to become an additional resource for others in the same situation.

Fred Engelmann

gaia227

02-15-2008, 09:56 AM

hoppyfrog

02-15-2008, 11:27 AM

There were indications that she felt the need to hide or disappear; and we are checking probable destinations and people.

Fred:

Did these "indications" seem reasonable? Or did they seem out of touch with reality?

I ask because the strategy for searching for her would differ for each case.

Continued best wishes and prayers for you,

Hoppy

petra

02-15-2008, 02:03 PM

http://judyengelmann.com/web/guest/home

Ms Engelmann's website. Lots of info and pics.

Forums to be in place today.

Hoping for some good news soon!

fengelmann

02-15-2008, 09:03 PM

Fred:

Did these "indications" seem reasonable? Or did they seem out of touch with reality?

I ask because the strategy for searching for her would differ for each case.

Continued best wishes and prayers for you,

Hoppy

That's a very important point. In the beginning, some of Judy's concerns may have been reasonable; but through January and February we (her family) became concerned about her excessive focus on being stalked, or persecuted.

In psychology terms we could refer to her thoughts as 'non-bizarre' delusions; although even the term delusions is subject to interpretation.

I personally believe many of her concerns were not reasonable, so would greatly appreciate any advice on search techniques in that context. This is exactly the type of experience and knowledge we're looking for, and I very much appreciate the community's effort.

Please do post at judyengelmann.com, and let's add to the body of knowledge both here and there.

JrZyChris

02-15-2008, 09:40 PM

I will check out the new website after I leave here tonight. I was so hoping she would have returned home by now :-(

Hoping, praying, crossing my fingers for you guys!

Christine

scotthongkong

02-16-2008, 06:12 AM

I hope Judy will found safe and sound. She may just need some time to sort out her feelings and emotions.

fengelmann

02-16-2008, 09:53 AM

How close is Plainfield to New York City? Curious because I live in NYC. I am going out either tomorrow or Sunday to do some photography around the city and would be happy to hang up some missing person's fliers if you think there is any chance she could be in or around the metro area.

Thank you for your generous offer. If we had any indication that Judy was still in this area, or any specific area, posting fliers would be an effective tactic.

We can only guess that Judy may have traveled to someplace she loved; perhaps parts of Pennsylvania, the Catskills or Adirondacks in NY, or even California.

Beyond Belief

02-16-2008, 10:47 AM

Has she had any contact with anyone special via the internet?
Very strange to leave her car behind. Were all taxi's, planes, trains, buses, checked to see if she used those transportations?

hoppyfrog

02-18-2008, 01:23 PM

That's a very important point. In the beginning, some of Judy's concerns may have been reasonable; but through January and February we (her family) became concerned about her excessive focus on being stalked, or persecuted.

In psychology terms we could refer to her thoughts as 'non-bizarre' delusions; although even the term delusions is subject to interpretation.

I personally believe many of her concerns were not reasonable, so would greatly appreciate any advice on search techniques in that context. This is exactly the type of experience and knowledge we're looking for, and I very much appreciate the community's effort.

Please do post at judyengelmann.com, and let's add to the body of knowledge both here and there.

Dear Fred,

I am not an expert but rather relying on what I've learned here at WS and my own common sense.

If her concerns WERE reasonable, my instincts would tell me to look for her in places she's familiar with and look for her to be with people she knows, relatives, friends, acquaintances, etc.

If her concerns were NOT reasonable and seem to become more frequent and more unusual, all bets are off: she could have gone anywhere for any reason. She could be hiding in an abandoned house, be at a homeless shelter, be in a city she's never been to before. IMO, the search would be more difficult.

I hope you can hook up with some experts in LE and with non-profits, such as Project Jason, Texas Equusearch, Heidi Search Center, etc., who can lend you their expertise.

There are also other families who have gone through similar experiences who might be able to help. See, for example, this thread about Katie Corcoran and her family's successful efforts to locate her:

http://www.websleuths.com/forums/showthread.phpt=54232&highlight=Katie+RI

My thoughts are with you and your family,

Hoppy

petra

02-19-2008, 05:22 PM

Bumping for Judy.

http://judyengelmann.com/web/guest/ncma

Shows response from NCMA.
How sad is it that they are closed down...:mad: :mad: ...just ridiculous!!!!!!!!!!!!

fengelmann

02-20-2008, 10:24 PM

If her concerns were NOT reasonable and seem to become more frequent and more unusual, all bets are off: she could have gone anywhere for any reason. She could be hiding in an abandoned house, be at a homeless shelter, be in a city she's never been to before. IMO, the search would be more difficult.

I think we've checked all friends and trusted people; and as Hoppy mentioned if her concerns were unreasonable all bets are off. We have some hope that she may be anonymously protected at a Women's Shelter (which in NJ would *not* notify police without a release).

I will post updates at Judy's site tonight or tomorrow, since so many have asked. No news yet; just methods and hope.

Our best wishes to all who are going through similar experiences.

JrZyChris

03-03-2008, 09:20 PM

I keep checking judyengelmann.com hoping for good news.

petra

03-03-2008, 09:42 PM

I keep checking on her website too.
I was encouraged by the possible sighting on 26 Feb.

Hoping Judy finds her way home safely and very soon.

hoppyfrog

03-09-2008, 06:58 PM

http://www.c-n.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080308/NEWS/803080319

9 March 08

We need eyeballs and lots of them.

That's how Fred Engelmann begins his public plea to find his sister, 48-year-old Judy Engelmann, who vanished from her Mountainview Drive home a month ago today.

Fred Engelmann, who maintains www.judyengelmann.com (http://www.judyengelmann.com/), compiles links and spreads details about his missing sibling, a Rahway Sewage Authority chemist who smokes Newport cigarettes. He poses questions, attempts to draw connections with recent events and acquaintances and highlights media coverage of the puzzling incident.

He also writes directly to Engelmann, who suffered from delusions and has taken anxiety medication. Fred Engelmann said his sister, convinced before her disappearance that someone -- or a group of people -- was harassing her, may have fled because she believed she was in danger. In his open letter, he assures her, as other family members have, that the fears were grounded in reason and encourages her to seek comfort with him.

much, much more at link

Note Judy's sister's comment after the article:

In his otherwise accurate article, Brandon Lausch unfortunately used wording that changes the context of the situation with my sister Judy Engelmann's disappearance. He summarized that Judy "suffered from delusions and has taken anxiety medication". When Mr. Lausch spoke with my brother Fred, Fred had made it clear that Judy suffered from what others might perceive as being delusions, but that her fears of being harassed were grounded in truth. It was difficult for the family to determine at what point Judy's well-founded fears, supported by factual events of break-ins, etc., became unrealistic. She was given medication for her anxiety over the situation but was not someone who had ever "suffered from delusions" during the course of her life. On the contrary, she was a very normal, realistic woman of integrity who always worked hard to accomplish her goals in life and did so with admirable success. My thanks to Mr. Lausch for writing this article and giving it front page status; I hope my comments serve to clarify things. - Karen Hall, sister of Judy Engelmann

JrZyChris

03-11-2008, 08:37 PM

I hope this doesn't duplicate, I just posted it but don't know what happened - the first post never showed.

Judy has been FOUND. She has contacted her family. Fred, whatever happens after this point is between Judy & her loved ones but I wish you all the best. I'm so very happy your ordeal is coming to a close. This is really wonderful news.

Fred's update @ judyengelmann.com http://www.judyengelmann.com/web/guest/news

Bobbisangel

03-12-2008, 12:53 AM

That is wonderful. I can just hear the familys sigh of relief.