HOWELL – A Toms River woman who has Alzheimer’s was found safe by a business owner in Howell, police said.
Marilyn Balzer left her home in the Lake Ridge development on Aug. 15 at around 6 a.m. and had not returned, Toms River police said.
Jackson Township, Manchester Township, Lakewood Township, Union City, Old Bridge and NJ Transit Police were all notified of her disappearance. The Toms River Police, Ocean County Sheriff’s Department K-9 Unit, Drone Unit, Quad Unit, Central Jersey K-9 Search & Rescue, NJ Community Search and Rescue, Pleasant Plains Fire Department, Lakewood Civilian Safety Watch, as well as the New Jersey State Police Missing Person’s Unit responded to the area to assist in the investigation. Emergency personnel continued their search throughout the weekend.
Two days later, she was spotted by Robert Vaccaro, owner of R&J Automotive, near the building on Route 9 in Howell. He contacted the police, who brought her to Monmouth Medical South for an evaluation and treatment.
“We’d like to thank all of the agencies involved who worked tirelessly throughout the weekend to bring Mrs. Balzer home safe,” Toms River police said. “We also want to thank the local businesses who provided video to assist us in our investigation. Thank you to the public who offered assistance, shared our social media posts, and kept their eyes peeled for Mrs. Balzer. It was because of her photo circulating that she was identified.
Police are telling residents that if you have a loved one who suffers from dementia or Alzheimer’s, contact the Ocean County Sheriff’s Department and inquire about the Project Lifesaver program.
