More than 7,000 people remain missing in New Jersey. Another 454 sets of unidentified human remains are in storage, waiting for someone to give them a name. On Friday, families, advocates, and law enforcement will gather in New Brunswick to push for answers and offer hope.
Missing in New Jersey Day takes place May 30 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Department of Children and Families Child Welfare Training Academy, 30 Van Dyke Ave. The New Jersey State Police Missing Persons Unit organized the event with support from the Division of Child Protection & Permanency.
The event is open to the public and focuses on support, awareness, and forensic action. Families can meet investigators, share case files, and access emotional support services. Agencies such as the FBI, the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, and the Vidocq Society will provide investigative updates and case consultations.
Officials will collect DNA samples on-site and upload them to national genealogy databases, including GEDmatch and FamilyTreeDNA. Investigators have used these tools to solve cold cases and identify long-unclaimed remains.
Support groups and mental health professionals will offer guidance to families coping with trauma. Attendees can network with others facing similar situations, along with forensic experts and law enforcement committed to solving open cases.
Paul Fronczak will speak about his decades-long search for identity. Abducted as a baby in 1964, he lived most of his life under the wrong name until DNA testing revealed the truth. His story is documented in HBO’s “The Lost Sons.”
People can register here. For more information, contact the New Jersey State Police Missing Persons Unit at (609) 882-2000 ext. 2554 or email [email protected].
The New Jersey Digest is a new jersey magazine that has chronicled daily life in the Garden State for over 10 years.