A family of four who “unexpectedly left their home” in Fremont, Michigan on October 16 and had been missing for almost a week has been found.
“The family was successfully located in Wisconsin,” according to police.
The Cirigliano family, Anthony “Tony” John, 51, his wife Suzette Lee, 51, and their two sons, Brandon Michael, 19, and Noah Alexander, 15, abruptly left their home following a concerning 911 call made around midnight on October 16.
Police Chief Tim Rodwell told FOX17 that two officers were dispatched to the family’s home after Tony called 911 “asking for help in relation to information he believed to have had regarding the September 11th bombings or terrorist attack.”
“My officers were concerned about everyone’s welfare and spent about an hour talking to everybody and making sure they’re OK, and whether or not Tony was going through some sort of mental issue that would be dangerous.”
That was the last anyone had heard from the family.
Several days after they were last seen, police released the 911 call.
“I need some police protection immediately,” Tony told the dispatcher. “It is of vital national interest. It is related to September 11. And people want to erase me from the face of the earth. I’m not crazy.”
“I know this sounds crazy. You don’t have instructions for this.”
The officers returned to the address 24 hours later, but this time a neighbor had called. They reported a 77-year-old woman, Suzette’s mother, walking around the neighborhood.
The grandmother, who receives 24/7 care from Tony and Suzette had wandered outside. Police determined Tony nor Suzette were home, and neither were their two sons, both who have autism.
They had also left the family pets behind.
Extended family was able to care for the grandmother while police continued to look for the Cirigliano family.
Police attempted to locate the family by using their phones’ location, but all of their phones were turned off.
Since asking for the public’s help, police received dozens of tips, including a confirmed sighting at a gas station in Gulliver, Michigan on October 17.
However, it wasn’t until October 23 when all four members were located in Steven’s Point, Wisconsin.
“I think for the most part, people here in our community have been concerned about them and are grateful to find out that they’re safe,” said Tom Schmidt, a Fremont resident who knows the Cirigliano family told WZZM.
“There’s a lot of things that we don’t understand about why they left things that are probably kind of concerning, but their welfare is really good news to find out.”
The investigation into their disappearance is now closed.
I’m so glad this had a happy ending. Hopefully everyone has the support they need in the coming days and weeks.
