Angstadt Family, Law Enforcement Agents Meet Regarding Missing Person Investigation

ERMA – Chief William Mastriana of Lower Township Police Department along with Chief Paul Skill from the Cape May County Prosecutors Office met with the family of Nicole Angstadt Dec. 20 at their home.
The purpose was to update the family on the investigation as well as to address concerns that they may have had as a result of the numerous false and misleading statements made on social media.
In speaking with the family it was determined that, as often in criminal investigations, information is not passed on to the victim’s family by law enforcement as quickly or efficiently as possible, thus allowing social media to provide misleading information largely based on assumptions. 
In order to clarify, and with the family’s knowledge, the following is a brief but accurate description of the investigation:
Angstadt was reported missing to Lower Township Police Department Dec. 1 at 12:49 p.m. 
The police department was advised that she was last seen 48 hours earlier Nov. 29 at approximately 11 a.m. at a bus stop in Rio Grande heading to Wildwood and was supposed to return home the night of Nov. 29. 
No other information was given as to whom she may have been with or where she may have been heading.
After receiving this information, her information was immediately entered into the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) as a missing person.
There was no information provided that she was endangered to be able to activate an Amber Alert due to the New Jersey State Police criteria needed to do so. The cell phone provider was contacted during this time for updates and information.
There were also several follow-ups throughout the day in Wildwood, Middle and Lower townships on previous locations Angstadt was known to frequent and people with whom she was known to hang out. 
A law enforcement bulletin was also prepared and sent out to multiple county and state agencies notifying them of the missing juvenile.
In the days following the initial report, both the Lower Township Police Department and Major Crimes Unit in the Cape May County Prosecutor’s Office worked together in trying to find Angstadt. 
The following is a brief description of steps taken:
Police traveled and checked numerous locations both in Cape May and Cumberland counties.
Police opened a case with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
Police sent out a press release to the public and monitored social media website.
Police contacted the FBI’s Crimes Against Children Unit, South Jersey Child Exploitation Task Force.
Police contacted the cell phone provider for updates and information.
Police conducted numerous interviews and viewed video surveillance.
On Dec. 8 another interview was conducted by Lower Township Police Department and the Cape May County Prosecutors Office with the family; for the first time authorities were advised of an abandoned house at 100 Vermont Avenue in the Rio Grande where they heard she was hanging out. 
Police were also advised during that interview that the initial report they were given about the bus stop and heading into Wildwood was inaccurate, and the new information was that she had left her residence on Willow Drive walking toward Rio Grande.
After receiving this information investigators responded to that residence to find it secured and boarded up. 
It was later determined Middle Township Police had responded to that residence three days earlier, Dec. 5  for a report of a burglary, which afterwards was secured by the real estate agency. No one was found or located inside the residence during that investigation.
On Dec. 9 detectives from Lower Township Police Department, along with investigators from the Prosecutors Office once again responded to 100 Vermont Avenue after making contact with the listing real estate agency to make entry into the home, which was found empty.
In the preceding days leading up to the discovery of Angstadt’s body several follow-ups and interviews were done in reference to any and all leads, tips and information received.
On Dec. 14 detectives from the Lower Township Police Department along with investigators from the County Prosecutors office located the body in the crawlspace of 100 Vermont Avenue while looking for any evidence that she was at that location.