A South Jersey woman's family is desperate for information after she disappeared nearly three weeks ago.
Norma Yates, 63, of Winslow Township, was reported missing on July 31, according to police.
Police said Yates was last seen at her trailer home on Vineyard Road in the Atco section of Winslow on July 29.
A welfare check was conducted and police said they found Yates charging her phone beside a nearby building. When police spoke to Yates she told them she was fine and they gave her a bottle of water since she claimed she was thirsty and she went home.
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The next day, Yates' family was concerned when they did not hear from her and called the police.
"We thought maybe she went to the shore or something like that and didn’t notify us," said Yates's daughter Nichole Ennis. "We became increasingly concerned because her pocketbook was left behind, her debit card, her cell phone."
Police launched their investigation immediately, checking places as far as North Jersey and Philadelphia.
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"We’ve used LANDSAR, we've used New Jersey state police," said Winslow Police Lieutenant Ray Cogan. "We did a local search of the area, abandoned properties."
Police said they had used K9s to search nearby areas and Yates' family conducted their own searches - but so far there has been no sight of her.
"The pain is indescribable. I don’t think that anyone no matter who they are, can truly understand where we're coming from," said Ennis.
Yates has three grandchildren all under the age of three and Ennis is just a few weeks away from delivering her second child. Ennis' husband is undergoing cancer treatments in New York City. Yates has been their primary caregiver.
"At this point, there’s nothing suspicious. It may just be Norma doesn’t want to be found," said Cogan.
Yates turned 63 during her disappearance. Ennis said her mother did not have a car and she would never just vanish and miss her own birthday.
The family said they are seeking out home security footage and had spoken to contractors who were working in the area the weekend of her disappearance.
"My mom is a tidy person. The place was not left very tidy, which also gave us a little concern. It is very unlike her to not call us a thousand times a day," said Ennis.
Yates' photo is currently in the National Missing Persons Database and detectives continue to look into the leads.
"We actually have a missing persons state police unit here now just to get an extra set of eyes in Winslow. Any missing person is a top priority case," said Cogan.
Police said Yates is known to frequent the West Atco section of Winslow Township.
Yates is described as a white female, standing at 5-foot-1, weighing 130 pounds, with grey-brown hair and hazel eyes. She was last seen wearing a grey tank top over a purple tank top and blue denim shorts, according to police.
If you have any information on Yates’ whereabouts you are urged to contact the Winslow Township Police Department at 609-567-0700.
