A MISSING family, who suddenly took off without taking an elderly family member with dementia, phones and pets, were last seen at a gas station 300 miles from their home, The U.S. Sun has learned.
Anthony and Suzette Cirigliano and their teenage sons Brandon and Noah, who both have autism, seemingly vanished Monday after a 12:40am Monday 911 call where Anthony displayed “paranoid behaviors,” Fremont, Michigan police said.
The father called another family member around 4pm Monday, which was the last time anyone has heard from the family.
Heidi Bonifield Bowler, an attentive manager of a Gulliver, Michigan gas station, told The U.S. Sun that one of the boys asked to use a phone “but couldn’t figure out how to use it.”
She said the rest of the family didn’t know he asked for it.
The attentive store manager later saw a missing person flier for the Ciriglianos and connected it to the family she saw in her store shortly before 11am Monday.
After going through her surveillance tapes, she called the Freemont Police, which confirmed on Friday that they’ve been informed of this potential lead and are investigating.
Bowler said in an exclusive interview that the family only purchased gas outside with a debit card, and she sent the receipt to the police.
“They just came in and used the bathroom. The one boy asked to use the phone but couldn’t figure out how to use it,” Bowler said.
“None of his family members knew he asked to use the phone.
“Had the boys not acted a little strange, I would’ve just thought it was a family passing through. It wasn’t until last night late when I saw the post about them missing, and we immediately remembered them.”
Bowler went through all the security footage from Monday, spotted them and sent it to the Freemont police.
“I’m just hoping for their family members that they return home,” she said.
Bowler’s store in Gulliver is about a five-hour drive from the Cirigliano’s home in Freemont, and police said they don’t know where they could’ve been going.
“We’re following up on every lead and investigating every tip we get,” Freemont Police Chief Tim Rodwell told The U.S. Sun.
Fears for the family intensified Monday night when neighbors saw Suzette Cirigliano’s mother, who suffers from dementia and needs constant care, was found wandering around.
Responding officers found that the doors to the family’s home were locked, their minivan was gone and their pets were home, according to police.
“Tony was exhibiting some signs of paranoia,” Rodwell said.
The 51-year-old father reportedly called 911 right after midnight on Sunday.
According to Rodwell, he was talking about the September 11 attacks and wanting to speak with the FBI.
The audio from the call, obtained by 13 On Your Side, reveals more of the conversation.
“It is of vital national interest,” Cirigliano told a dispatcher.
“It is related to September 11th. And people want to erase me from the face of the earth.
“I’m not crazy. Mr Geeting knows me. I’m a Christian,” the dad said.
“I just need some help. And then the US government will take it from here.
“I know this sounds crazy. You don’t have instructions for this. Please send someone that knows Geeting and can talk to US authorities, please.”
The outlet reports that the dispatcher confirmed that Tony did not have weapons in his possession during the call.
Two officers were sent to the home, where they spent about 45 minutes speaking with Tony and his wife to make sure “mental illness wasn’t putting anybody in jeopardy,” Rodwell said.
“It’s not normal behavior or normal interactions we have with the community.”
