A New Jersey teacher went missing after a school day until her body was found six months later. Authorities say her death was apparently by suicide.
“While a thorough investigation continues into her death, at this time, evidence points to Emanuele having taken her own life. This was a determination that could not have been made prior to the recovery of her body,” said Morris County Prosecutor Robert J. Carroll, according to NJ.com.
June 7 should have just been like every typical day for Lara Emanuele after a long day of teaching and grading assignments at school. However, she never returned home and was reported missing to authorities.
Six months later, the Morris County Police Department responded to a wooded area off Howard Boulevard and Route 80 in Roxbury Township after a K-9 successfully tracked her to that location. An autopsy later identified the body as Emanuele, and authorities were able to conclude there was no foul play involved in her death but established it was an apparent suicide.
Investigators gathered video footage that showed Emanuele shopping by herself at Walmart alone, arriving at a hotel nearby on her own accord, and leaving her phone and a suicide note behind in the car. The note was handwritten and indicated she did not want to be found. Nevertheless, rumors of foul play have circulated on social media, but authorities remain adamant the victim died by suicide.
“Morris County is not untouched by the national mental health crisis, and unfortunately there have been 31 suicides reported to the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crimes Unit year to date, 11 of which our office have responded to assist local law enforcement with the investigation,” said Chief of Detectives Robert McNally, reported Morris County Prosecutor’s Office.
The 46-year-old educator was a teacher at Alexander Hamilton Elementary School 46-year-old. Family members, co-workers, and her students described Emanuele as a special person.
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