North Plainfield Police Department

Press Release

Chief William Parenti

March 11, 2008

North Plainfield Police Chief William Parenti announced that a missing adult from the Borough has been located.  Judy Engelmann, a forty eight year old female resident of North Plainfield was reported missing February 8, after family members found her residence vacant.  Their last contact had been with her by phone the day before.  An exhaustive investigation and search was initiated by the North Plainfield Police Department and had continued up until this morning.   

Chief Parenti indicated that on Tuesday morning, Susan Morales, Judy Engelmann’s sister, received a call from a good Samaritan, Bonnie Arnzen, of Minnesota.  Ms. Arnzen took Judy in for the night after encountering her walking on a street.  She became suspicious after speaking with Judy and did some checking on the internet before contacting Ms. Morales.  Ms. Morales then spoke with her sister Judy Engelmann.  Ms. Morales in turn alerted the North Plainfield Police Department who contacted the Sterns County Sheriff’s Department in Minnesota.  Stern’s County Sheriff’s Deputies made contact with Judy, who appeared healthy and unharmed.  The family was arranging for re-unification. 

Chief Parenti indicated the details of Ms. Engelmann’s disappearance and journey are not yet known, but indicated detectives would like to speak with her in the near future.  Anything learned might help them in future investigations. 

The North Plainfield Police Department received support and assistance from numerous other law enforcement agencies in following up leads.  Including; the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office, the New Jersey State Police, and other local police departments in New Jersey, various law enforcement agencies in Massachusetts, Texas, New York, Pennsylvania and Minnesota were of assistance.  Chief Parenti said, “All of us are happy that she was located unharmed and that the family can re-unite”.