NJ NJ - Jan Cotta, 19, Wall Township, 26 June 1973
- Thread starter meggilyweggily
- Start date
Considering that DNA testing wasn't available in 1973, Jan's family must have spent years wondering if the newborn found in the horse farm mailbox was Jan's son or daughter. I wonder if they raised the child or if he or she was adopted by somebody else. This AMW article seems to suggest a DNA test wasn't run until at least 1997:
http://www.amw.com/fugitives/case.cfm?id=56702
It's possible he or she was born to a mother who had concealed her pregnancy and had followed news coverage of Jan's disappearance and knew her due date, which coincided with her own. She might have even been hiding nearby when Jan's friend found the baby, because a (presumably metal) mailbox is hardly a safe place to leave a newborn in the August heat. The mother might have felt like she was giving back to a family who had lost their daughter, and she might have believed she was leaving her child for someone who would raise him/her as a grandchild and the only link to their missing daughter.
It's not clear if the baby was healthy and appeared to be cared for before he or she was discovered in the mailbox, but it would be interesting to see if the mother came forward if LE were to offer her a chance to talk about the case in exchange for immunity from prosecution. I hope the baby, whoever his or her parents are, has had a good life. He or she would be 37 now.
http://www.amw.com/fugitives/case.cfm?id=56702
It's possible he or she was born to a mother who had concealed her pregnancy and had followed news coverage of Jan's disappearance and knew her due date, which coincided with her own. She might have even been hiding nearby when Jan's friend found the baby, because a (presumably metal) mailbox is hardly a safe place to leave a newborn in the August heat. The mother might have felt like she was giving back to a family who had lost their daughter, and she might have believed she was leaving her child for someone who would raise him/her as a grandchild and the only link to their missing daughter.
It's not clear if the baby was healthy and appeared to be cared for before he or she was discovered in the mailbox, but it would be interesting to see if the mother came forward if LE were to offer her a chance to talk about the case in exchange for immunity from prosecution. I hope the baby, whoever his or her parents are, has had a good life. He or she would be 37 now.
This is from my home town, and I've only learned about the case recently. (Which is crazy, because I lived very close to where she disappeared.) But that area, especially back in the 70's is very rural, with major highways going through it. There are quarries near by and plenty of farm land. She could be anywhere out there and the chances of them finding her by accident are really slim, assuming of course, that she didn't just run away. 
SheWhoMustNotBeNamed
Former Member
Welcome to Websleuths, Kaylara. Thanks for posting on Jan's case!
Jan Andre Cotta, 19, Missing since June 26, 1973 from Wall Township, NJ
Jan Andre Cotta
Missing since June 26, 1973 from Wall Township, Monmouth County, New Jersey
Classification: Missing Vital Statistics
Date Of Birth: March 26, 1954
Age at Time of Disappearance: 19 years old
Height and Weight at Time of Disappearance: 5'4"; 118 - 125 lbs.
Distinguishing Characteristics: White female. Brown hair; blue eyes.
Marks, Scars: She has a mole on lower right cheek. Crippled left foot. Jan fractured her left wrist when she was 17 or 18 years-old, when she fell from a horse. After a long day or when she was getting a cold her right eye would drop (Lazy eye).
Clothing: Blue Land Lubbers jeans, a white shirt with a blue design on it, brown loafers, and she was carrying a round tweed purse.
Jewelry: A plain gold ring with the initials "JAC"; she also wears a gold ring with a blue topaz birthstone and 2 diamonds.
Medical: She was reportedly 5-7 months pregnant; she has asthma and possibly epilepsy. Jan had the measles that affected the hearing in her left ear.
Dentals: Available. Jan had no dental work and her teeth were in very poor condition.
DNA: Available in CODIS.
AKA: Jane Andrea Cotta
Circumstances of Disappearance
Cotta was last seen at her home in Wall Township, New Jersey on June 26, 1973.
She was an avid equestrian and was last seen at a barn tack house near the back of her family's property on Ridgewood Road.
Cotta and her family had lived in Spring Lake Heights before they moved to Wall, where Cotta began participating in the 4-H Club. In 1971, she was elected vice president of the Jumping Brook Riders 4-H Club. Horses were her passion. She rode for pleasure, was involved in competitions, went to training facilities.
She attended the Morven Park International Equestrian Institute in Leesburg, Va., and the Princeton Riding Academy. She provided riding lessons at her family's property on Ridgewood Road. Cotta was last seen by her brother, and his friend between 23.30 and midnight on June 26, 1973. Soon after, a vehicle was seen leaving the farm and family members said Jan vanished.
The next day her mother reported Jan missing. An investigation into the disappearance was opened, and there was followup by police in the 1980s and 1990s.
Investigators
If you have any information concerning this case, please contact:
Wall Township Police Department
Detective Joseph Wilbert
732-449-4500
Email jwilbert@wallpolice.org
Agency Case Number: 2004-03888/
NamUs MP#5978
NCMEC #: NCMA1005685
NCIC Number: M564535067
Please refer to this number when contacting any agency with information regarding this case.
Source Information:
National Center for Missing & Exploited Children
NamUs
New Jersey State Police
Asbury Park Press 3/27/07
The Doe Network: Case File 1654DFNJ
LINK:
http://www.doenetwork.org/cases/1654dfnj.html
Jan Andre Cotta
Missing since June 26, 1973 from Wall Township, Monmouth County, New Jersey
Classification: Missing Vital Statistics
Date Of Birth: March 26, 1954
Age at Time of Disappearance: 19 years old
Height and Weight at Time of Disappearance: 5'4"; 118 - 125 lbs.
Distinguishing Characteristics: White female. Brown hair; blue eyes.
Marks, Scars: She has a mole on lower right cheek. Crippled left foot. Jan fractured her left wrist when she was 17 or 18 years-old, when she fell from a horse. After a long day or when she was getting a cold her right eye would drop (Lazy eye).
Clothing: Blue Land Lubbers jeans, a white shirt with a blue design on it, brown loafers, and she was carrying a round tweed purse.
Jewelry: A plain gold ring with the initials "JAC"; she also wears a gold ring with a blue topaz birthstone and 2 diamonds.
Medical: She was reportedly 5-7 months pregnant; she has asthma and possibly epilepsy. Jan had the measles that affected the hearing in her left ear.
Dentals: Available. Jan had no dental work and her teeth were in very poor condition.
DNA: Available in CODIS.
AKA: Jane Andrea Cotta
Circumstances of Disappearance
Cotta was last seen at her home in Wall Township, New Jersey on June 26, 1973.
She was an avid equestrian and was last seen at a barn tack house near the back of her family's property on Ridgewood Road.
Cotta and her family had lived in Spring Lake Heights before they moved to Wall, where Cotta began participating in the 4-H Club. In 1971, she was elected vice president of the Jumping Brook Riders 4-H Club. Horses were her passion. She rode for pleasure, was involved in competitions, went to training facilities.
She attended the Morven Park International Equestrian Institute in Leesburg, Va., and the Princeton Riding Academy. She provided riding lessons at her family's property on Ridgewood Road. Cotta was last seen by her brother, and his friend between 23.30 and midnight on June 26, 1973. Soon after, a vehicle was seen leaving the farm and family members said Jan vanished.
The next day her mother reported Jan missing. An investigation into the disappearance was opened, and there was followup by police in the 1980s and 1990s.
Investigators
If you have any information concerning this case, please contact:
Wall Township Police Department
Detective Joseph Wilbert
732-449-4500
Email jwilbert@wallpolice.org
Agency Case Number: 2004-03888/
NamUs MP#5978
NCMEC #: NCMA1005685
NCIC Number: M564535067
Please refer to this number when contacting any agency with information regarding this case.
Source Information:
National Center for Missing & Exploited Children
NamUs
New Jersey State Police
Asbury Park Press 3/27/07
The Doe Network: Case File 1654DFNJ
LINK:
http://www.doenetwork.org/cases/1654dfnj.html
amber1
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I'm thinking about Jan tonight, and wondering what happened to her and her unborn baby. Being 19 and pregnant is hardm but I can only imagine how it would e back then, when it was looked down on more. It seems she left of her own accord, but what happened afterwrd? I also think the man who got her pregnant is a big factor in her disappearance. Either she went with him willingly, changed identities and is living a happy life, or something went very sour.
WHERE IS JAN COTTA & HER BABY?
WHERE IS JAN COTTA & HER BABY?
Thanks everyone for keeping this post alive. I've been reading over the years and every time you guys come up with a lead we check it out. The Atlantic Highlands woman was confirmed not Jan even though she was wearing the same shoes(but they were very popular at the time) unfortunately every time we hear of something its a dead end. If I can answer any questions I'll be happy to, but at this point who knows if we will ever get an answer.
amber1
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I've been very interested in Jan's disappearance, I would like to spotlight her case on my missing persons blog I''ve done for 5 years. http://deaniepeters-missingangels.blogspot.com/
I usually gather together all the articles I find to create my entry (and credit them at the end), along with some speculation of my own. I've always wanted to spotlight her case but there is so much limited information. Would you be open to communicating with me through e-mail if I run into any questions or ideas as I write the entry, if that would be alright to do?
Also, what is the best contact information to report any tips about her disappearance? (Sometimes with older cases, they can be incorrect on some sources).
I usually gather together all the articles I find to create my entry (and credit them at the end), along with some speculation of my own. I've always wanted to spotlight her case but there is so much limited information. Would you be open to communicating with me through e-mail if I run into any questions or ideas as I write the entry, if that would be alright to do?
Also, what is the best contact information to report any tips about her disappearance? (Sometimes with older cases, they can be incorrect on some sources).
I'll do my best to answer any questions. You can put her information on your blog, any help is appreciated. If you message me on here I'll give you an alternate e-mail address. Also the best contact with any leads or information is still the Wall Twp police dept.
Welcome to the boards. Since your username is Cotta, I take it your some relation to Jan. What relation are you?
Do you have any theories as to what may have happened to your aunt?
southern_scout
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Could you expound on this since you are a family member?
To my knowledge we found that baby, years later one look at her and we could tell it was not Jan's. Also DNA testing was done and found not a match. My family has traveled up and down the east coast with possible leads but nothing was found.
She vanished, no one would talk about what they knew or didn't know.
My theory doesn’t matter because it can't be proved. Although I'm fairly certain she did not have the baby my best guess is that something happened to her before that. I'm just hoping to get the word out in case someone knows something or found something that sounds like her.
She vanished, no one would talk about what they knew or didn't know.
My theory doesn’t matter because it can't be proved. Although I'm fairly certain she did not have the baby my best guess is that something happened to her before that. I'm just hoping to get the word out in case someone knows something or found something that sounds like her.
southern_scout
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Thanks for clearing that up.