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A person believed to be Kara Alongi is seen with a suitcase at a transit station in Rahway, N.J.
Police have released a surveillance photo of a young woman they believe to be the runaway 16-year-old New Jersey girl who set off a Twitter firestorm after she apparently falsely indicated an intruder was in her home and disappeared.
Kara Alongi, 16, was seen on a security camera at the NJ Transit Rahway train station in Union County, holding a backpack and a large purse. Police say she purchased a train ticket to New York Penn Station Sunday evening and authorities are working with NJ Transit to review available station video.
Alongi gained thousands of followers after asking people on Twitter to call 911 Sunday because an intruder was in her home and then vanishing. People re-tweeted her message and #helpfindkara trended on the social network.
Investigators later said it appeared Alongi, of Clark, had voluntarily called a taxi company and gotten a ride to the Rahway train station, which police say is confirmed by the surveillance photo. Police do not believe any foul play was involved, but stress Alongi remains missing and her family wants her home.
"Kara might feel that she will be in trouble if she comes home after this scare and causing a panic," Clark Police Chief Alan Scherb said Monday as the extensive search got underway. "At this point, all everyone cares about is seeing her safe and at her house where she belongs."
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Twitter users worldwide tweeted messages of good will @KaraAlongi Sunday night as her initial post asking for help circulated. Many said they were frightened to think about what could have happened to her.
Others were skeptical about her pleas for help, pointing out a Tweet that allegedly popped up on Alongi's account that said: "Why is everyone saying I'm missing? I was jkin haha" and was deleted a short time later.
Police: No foul play in missing NJ teen Kara Alongi case
When NBC 4 New York called the missing girl's home, someone quickly answered "no comment" and hung up. No one answered the door.
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For Carly Martin, a Rutgers sophomore who followed the tweets Sunday night, it was more than disappointing to find out someone just a few years younger would take advantage of a social media site in that way.
"That's just ridiculous," Martin said. "You shouldn't be making a joke out of that when people are actually missing."
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Leave a Comment:
this really takes away from when someone DOES REALLY NEED HELP. she needs to be shaken evrey way but loose!!! how terrible to play on so many peoples emotions!!!! this is infuriating beyond words!!!! what a BRAT!!!!! im glad shes okay-if my child she would NOT BE WHEN I GOT A HOLD OF HER> keep runnin gurl......
looks more like running away instead of missing person.... lol hahahahahahaha #getoverit.org
maybe it is a cry for help or attention...home could be worse!
fact is---police and every other force is looking for her while the criminals are selling crack!
what a distraction!
she should be punished to say the least!
nice our tax dollars be wasted again! hip hip hooray! what a waste of time!
can u say ---ahhh 15 minutes of fame! every talk show will be having her on tv getting paid-too!
nice! we will all be wacthing to! sad...only here in america!
That's why I decided not to have kids...I dont want headache.
You always have a headache therefore you wont have kids.
Poor girl just needs some direction. Straight to my house. Age of consent here is 16. Muahhaha. But seriously, shes troubled and guys will take advantage of her. I hope she gets home safely.
there is no excuse for what she did. she was joken? what a whorer. she needs a good kick in the ass and 30 days in jail.
People we already know that this is a sad HOAX and horrific ABUSE of some of the helpfulness that Social Media can bring those in need. Some people are failing to use some common sense in regards to how many people she is following. Kara Alongi isn't "UNFOLLOWING" people. Those are her friends DELETING their personal twitter accounts to hide away from media and weirdos who are harassing them. Here is a Deleted Account and Deleted Tweet with photo from her friend "KevDOeNkayliHOe" which contains an Alleged Text Message Convo With Kara Before Running Away twitpic.com/b0i4hh
I don't think it's a good idea for the media to be releasing photos and locations of this girl. I am thinking all the creeps out there are going to be looking for her knowing she is a runaway on her own that does not want to be found :(
Anyone else think she should be held liable for creating a false emergency/panic and be locked up in juvi for doing so?
That is not a suitcase
My intentions are not to turn this into a racial matter but it is amazing how much media attention a missing white woman gets. When was the last time you read an article about a missing Asian, Hispanic, Black, Native American girl or any other minority for that matter?... Just something to think about.
As far as this girl is concerned, teenagers do lots of strange things. We never know why. The teenage years are simply a very difficult time in life. She will come home eventually and I am hopeful she will be fine.
Good luck, Kara! I hope you are okay, where ever you are.
Tramp....whore? My God, she may be dumb but she's still 16 and I'm not sure she deserves to be called either....and you are parents??? What will people call your kids when they run away from you? What will they call you?
People are such lemmings. They will believe and do anything these days.
Kind of makes you wonder why she left? Was someone molesting her? Was someone threatening her? Was she just a spoiled brat that did not like her parents? Way too many unanswered questions here! By the lack of information, I first thought I was reading Yahoo news, then I realized it was not!
yeh attention whoring,, tweet some1 is breaking in the house and run away probably to meet up with some married older dude old enough to be her dad... what a joke, put her in jail.shes a nobody anyway why follow this story further thanh this 1 page on msnbc.. yay little kid, you got your face in a tv survailance phjoto, hope thats as far as it goes.....
Maybe it's a cry for help..Maybe the home life is abusive,or maybe she being raped,or sexually assulted by father,step-father,etc;;; Maybe she thought this is her only way out,RUN....So she may have lied baout being aducted,but she may need to excape what ever it is happening in her home life or school life...Don't call someone a LIAR if you don't know the facts why she left..Only she can tell you(proper authorities) why she did it.
ack why did she want to leave home its not fun wakeing up to reality that way. i hope this ends with with a happy and not a tragic ending.
and as a message to kara as a fellow teen please go back i know its scary but you'll be much happier in the long run
Yes, find her safe and sound, then prosecute her sorry a$$.
She had better be careful she can get into a place where she can not say NO.
$$$ spent to locate her, and all the new media hype should just STOP.
Give her NO attention, and let her go on her way to join a circus or become a street whore.
And who cares if her family wants her back home....they don't know how good they have it now !!
to all you people who keep calling this girl "this and that" REMEMBER, she is STILL MISSING , and could be anyones daughter! I hope she is safe!
The streets can be terribly unforgiving of ignorance and naivety. I hope this ends well.
The nerve of some of you people to call her a whore/tramp. You dont know what her dilemma is so stop assuming. Whatever the reason she has for leaving one thing for sure is she is young and lack ability to make proper decisions. Lets just hope for her safe return and that she gets the help and support she needs.
She's gone off to bang some random guy so she can be on "16 and Pregnant" and won't have to share the spotlight with the father :D
Wasting resources that could be used on a needy subject. Spoiled typical teenager. She should be charged and put in juvie for the hoax..........What BS.