Snow in a wooded area. (File Photo)
A Toms River woman who suffered from Alzheimer’s disease was the subject of a massive search in the early morning hours Thursday, but the effort came to a tragic end when she was found deceased in the snow.
Police dispatchers received a call at about 4:30 a.m. in reference to a missing person, police spokesman Ralph Stocco said. It was reported by relatives that an 87-year-old woman, who resided at the Oak Grove Mobile Park, was not at home.
The woman, who suffered from dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, was last seen by relatives around midnight. Despite the harsh weather conditions, a wide-scale search was initiated by the Toms River Police Department, East Dover Fire & EMS, and the Ocean County Sheriff’s Department K-9 Division, Stocco said. Tragically, at 6:20 am, responders found the woman was found deceased in the snow about a mile away from her home.
The cause of death is not immediately known, however investigators do not suspect any criminal activity at this time. The woman’s name was not publicly identified.
