Search Deepens for Belinda Prentice as New Jersey Community Rallies to Find Missing 71-Year-Old Grandmother

A multi-week search continues across Somerset County, New Jersey, for Belinda Prentice, a 71-year-old grandmother who disappeared after being seen walking near her Franklin Township neighborhood. Prentice vanished around 6 p.m. near Bamburgh Court, located off New Brunswick Road and Willow Avenue, prompting widespread community ground searches and persistent police appeals for home surveillance footage.

Despite coordinated daily search operations organized by her family and local volunteers, authorities and relatives confirm there have been no verified sightings since she was last seen. The mystery surrounding her route has mobilized both local residents and family members traveling across state lines to bring her home safely.

Inside the Community-Led Ground Effort in Somerset County

Prentice’s 28-year-old maternal granddaughter, Sienna Benjamin, has spearheaded on-the-ground canvassing efforts in the Franklin Township area despite residing in San Antonio, Texas. Benjamin returned to her home state to coordinate foot patrols and post physical fliers throughout local corridors.

While daily search groups typically average four to five volunteers, a larger organized search brought out 25 volunteers who combed through neighborhoods and wooded parcels across Somerset County on foot. Benjamin has also turned to social platforms to field direct tips from the community.

“I’m very grateful for my community, just going out and looking and putting up signs everywhere they possibly can.”

Belinda Prentice, pictured before her disappearance in Franklin Township, New Jersey.

Cognitive Health Concerns and Past Disappearances

Relatives noted that Prentice had shown clear signs of cognitive decline over the past two years. Her family was actively working through formal steps to determine whether she had dementia and was pursuing legal guardianship to ensure her safety.

Her family first recognized lapses in recall during regular conversations and family holiday gatherings, where Prentice would lose her train of thought or fail to recognize close relatives whom she had met multiple times before.

“About two years ago, when I visited, I noticed she was forgetting what she was saying mid conversation and repeating herself.”

A Shift from Long Drives to Neighborhood Walks

In earlier years, unexpected travel looked very different for Prentice. A former commercial truck driver and transit bus operator, she possessed decades of highway experience and felt exceptionally comfortable behind the wheel, occasionally taking solo road trips to northern states like Maine and New Hampshire.

To keep her secure, family members placed an electronic tracker in her vehicle and relied on official Silver Alert broadcasts when she crossed state lines. However, Prentice stopped driving entirely within the past year, shifting her routine to walking through neighborhood streets where she was a familiar presence to nearby residents.

Her recent departure marks only the first or second time she has ever wandered away on foot.

Addressing Common Misconceptions Around Wandering

A widespread public misconception is that individuals experiencing cognitive decline only wander into unfamiliar territory or immediately attempt to travel vast distances. In reality, individuals with memory impairment frequently depart along routine neighborhood routes before disorientation sets in, making nearby door-to-door visual checks essential.

The Franklin Township Police Department and the Benjamin family have repeatedly emphasized that residential door cameras and exterior security setups remain the primary tool for reconstructing her movements.

How the Public Can Assist the Active Investigation

Authorities and volunteers are asking every property owner in the vicinity to take direct, practical steps to support the search:

• Review Security Footage: Check Ring doorbell feeds and external camera recordings around the New Brunswick Road and Willow Avenue corridors.
• Photograph Sightings Safely: If you spot someone matching Prentice’s physical description, take a clear photo from a safe distance to assist verification.
• Contact Law Enforcement Immediately: Report all potential leads directly to local emergency dispatch rather than waiting.

Anyone who may have captured video or spotted Belinda Prentice is urged to call the Franklin Township Police Department at 732-873-2300 or submit information directly to Sienna Benjamin via social channels.

💬 Community vigilance remains the most effective tool in bringing missing loved ones home.

📱 If you live in or near Somerset County, take five minutes to check your external cameras.

👇 Share this report to help keep Belinda Prentice’s search visible across New Jersey and surrounding communities.