Missing Hackettstown woman says she’s lost

HACKETTSTOWN – The Hackettstown woman missing since Sunday made contact with a family member early Thursday morning, saying she was riding the subway in New York City and lost.

Krysten Mendez, 24, called a family member between midnight and 1 a.m. Thursday saying she was on the J train in New York City, Hackettstown police said.

Mendez’s family member told police she was lost and sounded upset on the phone, police said.

The J train runs in Queens, and Mendez’s phone records show she also placed a call Sunday from the Briarwood section of Queens at 12:34 p.m. Tuesday, police said.

The New York City Police Department has been notified of the situation, and anyone who may have been on the J train during that time Thursday morning is asked to call 911 immediately.

Police cautioned anyone who located Mendez that they should not approach her due to her “mental impairment,” but couuld not clarify her specific impairment due to federal health privacy regulations, Hackettstown Sgt. Darren Tynan said.

Mendez left her Sharp Street Hackettstown home at about 10:30 a.m. Sunday with two black and white “duffel bag-type purses.”

Mendez is 5 feet 4 inches tall, weighs 194 pounds, and has black eyes and black hair. She was last seen wearing a black T-shirt, red shorts with a silver ring on each hand, police said.

The matter is not being treated as suspicious, Tynan said.

“At this point it would appear she left on her own,” Tynan said. “We have been told this not a normal thing for her to do.”

Anyone with information that can assist police in safely locating Mendez should call 911 or the Hackettstown Police Department at 908-852-3300.

Staff Writer Michael Izzo: 973-428-6636; mizzo@dailyrecord.com