French
DeutschElba Soccarras
Elba Leonor Diaz Soccarras (born c. 1935) is a Colombian-born American amnesiac whose origins and identity were unknown to New Jersey authorities for 14 years from 1994 to 2009. Suffering from advanced Alzheimer's disease, Soccarras was unable to disclose information on her identity after she was abandoned at a New Jersey shopping mall.
| Date | November 4, 1994 |
|---|---|
| Duration | 14 years |
| Venue | Woodbridge Center |
| Location | Woodbridge Township, New Jersey |
| Motive | Suspected adult abandonment by a relative |
| Outcome | Identified in March 2009 |
Background
[edit]Discovery
[edit]On November 4, 1994, Soccarras was found at the Woodbridge Center in Woodbridge Township, New Jersey. She spoke Spanish, had no memory of her identity, and did not carry any identification. She was well groomed and wearing an engraved wedding ring.[1] She was unable to speak.[2] She recalled her name as "Elba."
Elba was placed in the Garrett Hagedorn Psychiatric Hospital in Hunterdon County, New Jersey where she was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease.[3][1]
In 2008, New Jersey officials renewed a canvassing campaign across the state, as well as in Colombia and Venezuela, in an effort to discover her true identity.[3] At the time, officials believed that she had been abandoned by a family member.[1]
Identification
[edit]In March 2009, through tips from the public and aid from the Colombian consulate, authorities were able to identify her as 74-year-old Elba Leonor Diaz Soccarras, who had immigrated from Colombia to the United States in 1969. She was born on March 28, 1934, in Villanueva, La Guajira.[4] As a single mother, she had worked for years in a factory. Officials learned that she had a daughter living in New Jersey the entire time she was unidentified.[5] The daughter said they had a disagreement and she had thought that Elba had returned to Colombia years ago.[2] By establishing her citizenship, authorities were able to transfer her from Garrett Hagedorn Psychiatric Hospital to a nursing home.[6][7]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ a b c Hartocollis, Anemona (2008-10-21). "For a Jane Doe, Seeking an Identity and Immigration Status". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2022-04-03.
- ^ a b Henry, Samantha (29 Mar 2009). "Restoring a 'Jane Doe's' identity". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 3 Apr 2025.
- ^ a b "NJ Woman Still Unidentified After 14 Years". Archived from the original on September 10, 2008. Retrieved 2008-09-08.
- ^ "Identifican a una mujer que estuvo extraviada 14 años". La Capital. Retrieved 2025-03-27.
- ^ Plata, Juliana (2009-03-24). "Tras 15 años de su desaparición, una colombiana es identificada en New Jersey". W Radio (in Spanish). Retrieved 2025-03-27.
- ^ "NJ Jane Doe Found in 1994 is Identified". Retrieved 2009-03-22. [dead link]
- ^ McShane, Larry (May 10, 2009). "Dumped like trash at a mall". New York Daily News.