Mysterious proceedings surround elderly doctor and his misinformed family

A group of concerned citizens gathered at the El Club de Fomento on 38th Street in Union City last Sunday morning and spoke through tears to reporters from both the Spanish and English language media about an elderly relative whom they said was missing. There was only one problem. The police say that the 84-year-old Weehawken doctor, Julio Rodriguez Farinas, who has ties to a club in Union City, is not missing. They say he and his family moved away and are safe somewhere else. But that’s not what Farinas’ relatives think. Last Sunday’s press conference was complete with worried family members, pleas for help, and tears of anguish and sorrow. The family members said that Farinas and his wife, Eva, had been missing from their Weehawken home since Jan. 14. They also said they had reported the disappearance to police. “A neighbor said that he saw them getting into a car unwillingly,” said Fernando Farres, a family friend and spokesman. “A close friend spoke to Eva that day and said that Eva said was something wrong. So we all got concerned. They’re both 80-plus and their health is not good.” But all of this information was news to Weehawken Deputy Police Chief Robert Del Priore. According to Del Priore, the Weehawken police already knew the safe whereabouts of both Dr. Rodriguez Farinas and his wife by the time the press conference was held. And there was never any missing persons’ report filed. “They left the area voluntarily,” Del Priore said. “Our police officers spoke to them. They’re fine. They happily left the area. I don’t know what all the fuss is about. I have no idea who created this monster.” Del Priore said he didn’t know a press conference was being held until he started to get bombarded with phone calls from the media. “Channel 9, Channel 11, Channel 41, they all called me and I had to tell them that there really was no story,” Del Priore said. “It’s very disappointing to me to get calls from reporters, rather than the people involved. I already had the answer of where they were.” ‘Bizarre’ situation As per the family’s request, Del Priore would not reveal where Dr. Rodriguez Farinas and his wife are. He would only say that they are safe, healthy and with their son. They moved from Eldorado Place in Weehawken with their son, Jorge, to another state. So what was the press conference all about? And what were the other family members trying to gain? “I don’t know,” Del Priore said. “It’s all very bizarre.” A woman, Cary Rodriguez, who said she was a niece of the couple, gave a tearful plea to reporters, asking for help to find her aunt and uncle. A nephew, Max Rodriguez, said that they hoped to find where “our cousin and his friend took them.” “Our hope is to simply find out where they are and that they’re well,” Max Rodriguez said last week. “I don’t know where our cousin is and we haven’t seen him since July.” Family noted that the son, Jorge Rodriguez, is adopted and not a blood relative. Still, according to Del Priore, he is their legal son and possesses the couple’s power of attorney. “We’re extremely worried, because they’re in need of medical attention,” said Farres, the family friend. “We feel that the son might be negligent. Jorge took them away and they didn’t want to go.” But that wasn’t the message that Del Priore and the Weehawken police department received. “They’re fine and they don’t want to be bothered,” Del Priore said. “Everything is untrue. Our officers … spoke to them. They don’t want to be bothered by anyone. As far as we’re concerned, it’s over.” Del Priore added, “It makes me upset, because it makes us look like we weren’t doing our job. We responded when we didn’t even have to, because there wasn’t an official missing persons’ report.” At the press conference, a spokesman gave out a number based in New York for anyone who might have information on the couple. When phoned at the beginning of last week, Jackie Zimmerman, who was at the press conference, answered. When she was informed of the conflicting information, she said, “That’s not what I’m aware of. I know that the case is being investigated by the [Hudson County] Prosecutor’s office.” But the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office said they had not heard of the case. Zimmerman then said she would return a call later to discuss the case further, but she did not. Subsequent calls to the New York number were not returned. The mystery continues.

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