In the late afternoon of July 29, 2023, concern for 62-year-old Norma Yates began to grow in her quiet community in the Atco section of Winslow Township, New Jersey. A neighbor, noticing that she seemed disoriented, placed a call to the police requesting a welfare check. Officers found Norma outside near her home, charging her cell phone. When they spoke with her, she assured them she was fine but thirsty.
The police provided her with a bottle of water and saw her walk back toward her trailer home on Vineyard Road. This interaction, around 5:00 p.m., would be the last confirmed sighting of Norma Yates. The following morning, she failed to meet a friend for coffee as planned, raising the first of many alarms among those who knew her.
The concern for Norma's well-being intensified when her family was unable to reach her. Upon checking her home, they discovered that she had left without any personal belongings. Her cell phone, pocketbook, debit card, shoes, and identification were all left behind. This was deeply uncharacteristic of Norma, who was in daily contact with her family. At the time of her disappearance, she was the primary caregiver for her young grandchildren while their father was undergoing cancer treatments out of state, a responsibility her family says she would never abandon. Her daughter also noted that Norma's trailer had been left in a messy condition, which was unusual for the typically tidy woman. Lacking a car, it was unclear how she could have traveled far on her own.
Norma is described as a white female, standing 5 feet 1 inch tall and weighing approximately 130 pounds, with hazel eyes and shoulder-length brown hair. She has a distinctive tattoo of a ladybug on her back right shoulder. When last seen, she was wearing a purple tank top and blue jean shorts; some reports indicate she may have had a grey tank top layered over the purple one. The Winslow Township Police Department, along with the Camden County Prosecutor's Office, launched an investigation into her disappearance. Despite searches and checks of neighborhood surveillance cameras, no trace of her movements after she returned to her home has been found. The case has been perplexing for investigators, who noted that there was nothing at her home to suggest foul play or what might have happened. As time passed, authorities began pursuing new leads, including a potential but unconfirmed sighting of Norma in Atlantic City on the day she went missing. The circumstances surrounding Norma Yates's disappearance remain a mystery, leaving her family heartbroken but resolute in their search for answers. The case is marked by a complete lack of evidence, as if she simply vanished, a deeply troubling reality for a community and family awaiting her return.Last Seen: Jul 29, 2023
