Police Investigating Where Alongi Went and Why, Determining If She'll Face Charges

UPDATE, Dec. 28, 2012: Kara Alongi Investigation Ongoing, State Police Release Her 911 Call - In her 911 call from a rest stop on the Turnpike, Alongi maintains she had been abducted, stating a black man forced her from her home. Regardless of Alongi's claims, Clark Police Chief Alan Scherb says the department stands by its assertion that Alongi was not abducted. Scherb says the investigation remains ongoing and could not reveal why the investigation has taken so long.

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Original Story

Clark Police are still investigating where 16-year-old Kara Alongi went and why she left after tweeting "There is somone in my hour ecall 911" before vanishing Sunday evening and becoming a social media sensation.

Clark Police Chief Alan Scherb has said Alongi could, at the very least, face charges for creating a false public alarm. As of Thursday, Scherb told Patch the investigation is ongoing and police have no new details to reveal at this time. Alongi has not yet been charged with a crime.

Several people have mentioned to Patch that Alongi was blamed for police breaking up an underage drinking party in the days preceding her disappearance and was on the outs with friends.

"We have heard that, but we can't confirm that that is the reason she left," Scherb told Patch on Wednesday.

On Thursday, Scherb told Patch in an video interview that Alongi called 911 from a Burger King in a rest area near exit 1 on the New Jersey Turnpike and came outside to meet State Troopers when they arrived. She was in police custody around 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, was taken to a South Jersey hospital for evaluation and was reunited with her parents, according to Scherb.

Scherb says Alongi was then transported to a hospital in our area where she stayed overnight and was escorted by police back to her home around 6 a.m. Wednesday morning with her family.

Scherb says Alongi was debriefed sometime on Wednesday as police try to determine her path and whereabouts over the 46 hours she was missing. The last sighting of Alongi was on an NJ Transit surveillance camera at the Rahway train station around 6:30 p.m. on Monday before she boarded a 6:47 p.m. train heading toward New York's Penn Station.

Clark Police released a statement around 11 a.m. Tuesday morning announcing that Alongi was found and had been brought home.

The story of Alongi's disappearance went viral on Twitter, with #helpfindkara trending at number three worldwide and now more than 100,000 followers on her Twitter profile (@KaraAlongi). Clark Police later determined Alongi left voluntarily, calling a cab to drop her at the Rahway train station. 

The Twitterverse has responded with vitriol now that Alongi's tweet has turned out to be a hoax, with many tweeting that she should be punished for causing such a stir.

We will continue to check in with Clark Police and will update this story as more information becomes available.

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UPDATE, Dec. 28, 2012: Kara Alongi Investigation Ongoing, State Police Release Her 911 Call - In her 911 call from a rest stop on the Turnpike, Alongi maintains she had been abducted, stating a black man forced her from her home. Regardless of Alongi's claims, Clark Police Chief Alan Scherb says the department stands by its assertion that Alongi was not abducted. Scherb says the investigation remains ongoing and could not reveal why the investigation has taken so long.

UPDATED: Clark PD Searching for Missing Girl Who Tweeted 'Call 911'