ATLANTIC COUNTY – Norma Yates, a beloved mother and friend, vanished without a trace, leaving her family and investigators searching for answers.
Family memories and the disappearance
Nichole Ennis fondly remembers her mother, Norma Yates.
“She was a great person she made a ton of mistakes like a lot of us do but she was a wonderful mom, a good person, a good employee, she was a good friend, a good sister, she was a lot of fun,” said Ennis.
In the summer of 2023, Nichole was pregnant, and the family took their annual trip to Wildwood. They spoke the following week, and nothing seemed unusual. On July 29, 2023, Winslow police were called for a wellness check and found Norma across the street from her home. Despite refusing medical treatment, police saw nothing concerning and watched her return home. That was the last time Norma was seen.
What we know:
Detective Ryan Durham from the Camden County Prosecutor’s Office said, “It just adds to the confusion of the case there was nothing alarming when we went in there and took photographs there was nothing there to suspect anything at that time it was almost as if she just vanished.”
Norma’s phone and purse were left behind in a trailer owned by her roommate, Lauren, who was the last person to see her.
Despite cameras in the area, there was no sign of Norma.
The search for Norma
Detective Durham mentioned they are pursuing new leads, including the possibility that Norma was in Atlantic City the day she disappeared. “We do have a couple different options as far as searches that we want to re-hit these areas as well and get into the waterways also,” said Durham.
Investigators and Norma’s family have conducted numerous searches in the area, using their own resources to try to help. Nichole Ennis expressed her determination to find the truth, saying, “The truth is coming it always does and that’s what keeps me moving. Faith over fear, we will not stop somebody knows everything.”
What we don’t know:
The circumstances of Norma Yates’ disappearance remain unclear, with no concrete evidence or sightings to explain her sudden vanishing. Investigators continue to search for leads and hope to expand their efforts.
The Source: Information from the Camden County Prosecutor’s Office and Norma Yates’ family.
Crime & Public SafetyAtlantic County
