TOMS RIVER – Parts of Holiday City Silverton were lit up Thursday night after reports that a resident may have gone missing in the 55 and over community’s man-made lake.
Residents drawn out to the scene by the emergency sirens said the victim was thought to be a 79-year-old woman.
On Friday morning, Toms River Police confirmed that Martha Hesse left her home on Mount Fairweather Lane and her husband called police when she didn’t return home.
A helicopter buzzed overhead shining a spotlight down as pickup trucks backed several pontoon search boats into the upper and lower parts of the lake to search. Police, fire and underwater recovery team vehicles line Mount Carmel Blvd., which cuts between the two portions of the lake.
Silverton Volunteer Fire Company, Maintou Park Volunteer Fire Company Station 18 and Brick Township Fire Company #1 responded to the scene.
Martha Hesse is described as 5 feet, 5 inches tall and 160 pounds with brown hair and brown eyes. She was last seen wearing a T-shirt and pajama pants.
Anyone with information should call police at 732-349-0150, ext. 1020.
