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Police hunt for the killer of a 14-year-old NJ girl

Tuesday, January 24, 2006

Eyewitness News

(Roselle, N.J. -WABC, January 24, 2006) (WABC) -- Judy Cajuste's strangled body was found in a dumpster in Newark and now police say she met her killer online. Her death has stunned students at her school in Roselle.

The girl was a student at Abraham Clark High School in Roselle. Her body was found in Weequahic Park in Newark.

New Jersey reporter Jen Maxfield is live in Roselle with the story.

The victim, 14-year-old Judy Cajuste, was a freshman at Abraham Park High School and her death could serve as a cautionary tale for other parents. Police are investigating the possibility that she met her killer online.

There were tears ans sorrow this afternoon at the home of Judy Cajuste. Last Friday her family and friends heard that Judy was not missing, she was dead, her strangled body found in a dumpster in Weequahic Park in Newark.

Her mother, Magalie, remembers her only daughter, who was last seen 12 days ago. When she didn't come home that Wednesday night her mother reported her missing.

Magalie Cajuste, Victim's Mother: "Ten days I looked out my window, crying every day. Twenty-four hours I didn't eat."

The next day Essex County parks employees found the body of a young woman in a dumpster, but it took a week for authorities to notify Judy's mother, a delay that Essex County authorities have yet to explain.

Grief councilors were on hand today at Abraham Clark High School to help students cope with the loss.

Jareth Ortiz, Victim's Friend: "The first day I heard about it I couldn't stop crying."

Police investigating Judy's death took her computer out of the home to investigate whether the teenager may have met her killer online, but friends say Judy was not the type to run away.

Jareth Ortiz, Victim's Friend: "She was an innocent person, she wasn't one of those people that's always out there fighting or anything like that."

Judy's mother came to the U.S. from Haiti and she says she had so many plans for her daughter. Now the only thing she's planning is her funeral.

Late this afternoon Essex County Crimestoppers increased the reward to $5,000 for information leading to an arrest in this case.

If you have any information that can help, call 973-621-4586.

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