A New Jersey family says they are desperate for answers as they search for a loved one who has been missing for nearly a month.
According to the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs), Emilio Acosta, 20, of Weehawken, was last seen on Dec. 18, 2025.
His parents told investigators they woke up around 1:30 a.m. local time and saw Emilio going through a closet in their bedroom. They say he took two backpacks and ran out of the house.
Emilio’s father then drove around the area looking for his son but was unable to find him, according to the NamUs listing.
“We ask the community to take a close look at his picture and if they see him, just communicate directly with the Weehawken Police Department,” Emilio’s father, Idelfonso Acosta, told News 12.
NamUs reports Emilio was last seen wearing a beige hooded sweatshirt with navy-blue Yankee lettering, gray sweatpants, black Timberland boots, and carrying two backpacks. A black ski helmet was attached to one of the backpacks, the listing says.
His family also believes Emilio may have been experiencing a mental health episode around the time he disappeared.
“Our son has been living with bipolar disorder. He was under proper care, but since he’s left the house, he hasn’t had his medication with him,” Idelfonso Acosta told News 12.
Weehawken Police Deputy Chief James told NJ.com in a story published Jan. 6 that searches for the 20-year-old have not led to any confirmed sightings.
Authorities said surveillance footage showed Emilio near an elementary school in Weehawken. He was later seen at a Shell gas station in Secaucus before he was observed walking toward MetLife Stadium. Police also said his cell phone last pinged in the area around the stadium.
“We’ve had numerous leads and things of that nature since that time, but unfortunately they haven’t panned out,” White said, according to NJ.com. “He hasn’t logged on to any of his social media accounts.”
Police describe Emilio as 5’11” and between 160 and 180 pounds, with brown hair and brown eyes.
“My son is a loving, caring person with the right support,” Idelfonso Acosta told NBC affiliate WNBC in a Jan. 2 report. He added that the family has been posting flyers about Emilio across the Hudson County area.
“I cannot understate how much support and love we have received from friends and family. That has given us strength to not give up hope… We’re gonna bring him back home,” he said.
