Candlelight Vigil Held For Missing Irvington Woman

IRVINGTON, N.Y. — Debra Iannarelli stood near the Main Street School in Irvington Thursday night as candles flickered quietly in front of her. She prayed for her mother.

 “Please, please, please bring my mother home,” she said. “The family is so devastated.”

Iannarelli, her family and a large group of concerned people gathered in Irvington on Thursday night for a candlelight vigil and prayer service. Rev. Ted Onumaegbu of Immaculate Conception Church led the service of hymns and prayer.

Iannarelli’s mother Betty has been missing since August 5. Police and civilian search groups have scoured the area for signs of the 84-year-old woman, but nothing has materialized.

Betty Iannarelli suffers from Alzheimer’s disease. She was last seen on surveillance video walking up Main St. in Irvington at 1:55 a.m. on Friday, August 6. Police describe Betty as 5 feet tall, about 140 pounds and black-haired. She was wearing an aqua-blue housedress and sandals.

Irvington Police Chief Michael P. Cerone noted that New York Search and Rescue had searched the area on Thursday, retracing trails that canines had gone over last week to see if anything could be discovered. The search turned up nothing. 

New York Search and Rescue is a not for profit organization comprised of law enforcement veterans, who donote their time to help local agencies in the Hudson valley.

Cerone said the department’s main concern was Betty Iannarelli’s well-being.

“It’s a life and death situation,” he said. “We need to find her.”

Cerone said police were shocked that she hasn’t turn up by now.

It’s been “seven days now. She should have turned up somewhere. Somebody should have seen her,” Cerone said. “There’s been no sign of her.”

Friends urged those attending the vigil to keep an eye out for Betty and help with the search efforts. Iannarelli’s family has created a Facebook group that currently has 90 members.

Police are asking anyone with information on Betty Iannarelli’s whereabouts to contact the Irvington Police Department at 914-591-8080.

Click here to follow Daily Voice Bedford and receive free news updates.