Michigan police are searching for a family of four who they say disappeared without a trace after their father exhibited “paranoid behaviour” last weekend.
Anthony “Tony” John Cirigliano, 51, his wife Suzette Lee Cirigliano, 51, as well as their two sons, Brandon Michael Cirigliano, 19, and Noah Alexander Cirigliano, 15, have not been seen or heard from since. October 16. The family “unexpectedly” left their home in Fremont, about 45 miles north of Grand Rapids, and are believed to be traveling in a silver 2005 Toyota Sienna LE minivan with Michigan plates, according to the Fremont Police Department, who is conducting the investigation. . and the Michigan State Police, who are helping. Both children have autism.
All the family’s cellphones were turned off, leaving behind their pets, as well as Suzette’s elderly mother, who has dementia and needs full-time care, police said. The grandmother, who lives with them, was found disoriented in the neighborhood on October 17 and the police were unable to reunite her with her family. She now has the assistance of other family members, according to Fremont Police Chief Tim Rodwell.
“They’re all very concerned that Tony and Suzette and the boys have not been in contact with anyone,” Rodwell told Grand Rapids ABC affiliate WZZM, reported ABC.
Police responded to Cirigliano’s home shortly after midnight on October 16 after Tony called emergency health services expressing concern about information he claimed to have about the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, according to Rodwell.
“My officers talked with him at length and just were concerned about his mental well-being,” he said. “They made contact with Suzette and looked at the two boys to make sure they were OK,” reported ABC.
Tony, who is self-employed, has no known mental health issues and police have found no signs of foul play, fighting or violence inside the home to indicate a suspicious disappearance, according to Rodwell, who told WZZM he was concerned for the family.
Rodwell said the Cirigliano have no history of clashes with the police, other than an issue involving Brandon that occurred in downtown Fremont last summer. But Rodwell said the family was “very cooperative” and the matter was resolved “amicably”.
“My officers found Tony to be, again, very loving and caring and worried about his kid,” he noted, reports ABC.
So far, investigators have no clue where the family is or what direction they have gone, but Rodwell has confirmed they are not at home or in the community.
Both police and neighbors described Cirigliano’s disappearance as “unusual” because the family is known to spend a lot of time at home and usually don’t travel much when they leave.
A neighbor, Sue Schondelmeyer, told WZZM that the Cirigliano family moved into the neighborhood about five years ago. Previously, the family lived in North Carolina, according to Rodwell.
“They were always friendly,” Schondelmeyer said. “When I moved in, they brought me cookies. When my power was out, [Tony] helped with the generator to boost my power, my refrigeration and wouldn’t even take money for the gas,” she added, reported RTE.
Schondelmeyer told WZZM that she would always see Cirigliano for a walk. Her grandchildren often hung out with Brandon and Noah when they were visiting, she said.
As for the minivan in which Cirigliano is believed to be traveling, Schondelmeyer said she first saw the vehicle just a couple of weeks ago. She remembered that Tony had brought it home and that Brandon and Noah were checking on it.
“That was the first and only time I’ve ever seen it,” she told WZZM. “They usually had just plain cars, not a van,” reports ABC.
Another neighbor, Josh Brinkman, told WZZM that his family is friends with Cirigliano and that he goes to school with the two boys, whom he described as having “high-functioning autism.” Brinkman said he hasn’t dated Brandon or Noah in a while and that the last time he did, about two months ago, everything seemed “normal.”
As for the boys’ father, Brinkman said Tony is a “good guy” and never exhibited any strange behavior, even though he lost his job a few years ago. When asked if he had a message for the Ciriglianos, he urged them to “stay safe” and let his family and friends know if they are okay.
“We care about you,” he added, reported ABC.
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