Paige Aiello Missing: Family still searching for N.J. student who disappeared before 22nd birthday
(CBS/AP) HILLSBOROUGH, N.J - Police are still searching for a College of New Jersey senior who disappeared over a week ago, CBS New York reports.
The family of Paige Aiello reported her missing on April 9, two days before her 22nd birthday, after she apparently took her mother's car without permission, authorities said.
Later that evening, a passer-by reported finding her purse, cellphone and car keys on the south walkway of the George Washington bridge. Authorities searched the Hudson River and both levels of the bridge, but did not find anything.
Authorities found the missing car late evening on April 10 at a parking garage in New Brunswick, next to the train station. Aiello's father, Christopher, said it was believed she took the train to New York but is unclear if whether she took a cab, subway or walked elsewhere.
"From that time, we have not been able to see whether there were any cameras or anything on the New York City streets," he told CBS New York.
Police are treating the disappearance as a missing persons case since no body and no suicide note was found, according to the station.
Christopher Aiello told CBS New York that his daughter was feeling under a great deal of stress and was living at home for added support. He said his daughter is co-captain of the school tennis team and also worked several jobs, had done "incredibly well" in high school and college and was accepted to nine law schools.
"She had hit almost like a wall where she felt she was not maybe either worthy of all this or she just couldn't handle it," he said. "Not only do we have to be watching our children that are not doing well and getting in trouble, but we have to see and watch the kids that are the overachievers. They have a self-imposed stress. You don't need a parent to be constantly on their back if their stress is internalized."
Aiello said he was encouraged that no one reported witnessing anyone jumping from the George Washington Bridge. He said he was worried that without a cellphone, she could just be wandering around. The family reportedly hired a private investigator in the case.