Pinelands Search Party For Woman With Traumatic Brain Injury

The husband of a missing woman with traumatic brain injury has asked for help from the Pinelands community today in a full scale search for his wife.

Denise Johnson Smith, 51, has been missing since Monday, Oct. 9 when she left her home at about 1:15 a.m. on Route 563 in Vincentown, Burlington County..

Denise is a white woman with brown/gray hair and brown eyes, NJ State Police said. She's 5 feet, 5 inches tall and 125 pounds.

Her distraught husband has asked for assistance from anyone who has the time today to help in the search between noon and 4 pm at his home at 4348 Route 563, Vincentown.

Billy Smith asks that you come prepared to walk through thick brush and to bring tick spray if you plan on joining the search..

Mr. Smith is especially looking for help from anyone familiar with the terrain of the Pineland woods.

The state police and government search party with K9 have been doing their searches during the day. While they are great they have a protocol to follow and do NOT know these woods like many of our locals do. They also can ONLY search until nightfall and if there are any leads to allow the continuation of the search. No leads = No searching!

Denise has suffered for many years with health issues and seizures which led to her having a TBI (traumatic brain injury) which is very similar to dementia.

Her cognitive abilities and verbal skills are low. She is harmless and is probably scared, confused, and disoriented. She has not had her medication for two days and the chances of her having a seizure during this time is very high, according to her husband.

The search is open to the Jersey Pinelands; from Chatsworth to Pemberton, Shamong and Hammonton to Manahawkin.

Any tip or sighting please contact NJ State Police: 609-859-2282 or NJ missing persons unit: 609-882-2000 ext. 2554.