Missing woman's latest tragedy for 'cursed' New Jersey family

Metro

By Dean Balsamini

A heartbroken mother shaken by the tragic deaths of two children is now on edge after her last surviving child disappeared “in suspicious circumstances”.

Danielle Lopez, 37, of Burlington, New Jersey, hasn't been heard from in more than a month after telling her family she planned to go camping.

The 5-foot-4, 135-pound woman was last seen around 9:10 a.m. April 13 at a Wawa store in Burlington, New Jersey, state police said.

His 2008 blue two-door Hyundai Accent was found broken down on Lost Lane Road, which is part of Penn State Forest, a 3,366-acre state park..

“Unimaginably, tragedy has struck our family again,” shocked mother Sue Quackenbush, a longtime Eatontown resident, posted on Facebook this week, saying cops told her the disappearance had took place “under suspicious circumstances”.

Fred Lopez, the missing woman's uncle, told the Post that Danielle's older brother, Eric Quackenbush, died after “throwing himself in front of a train” in Pennsylvania on Christmas Day 2015 and that another brother , Michael Lopez, a Marine, had been mortally wounded. “about 10 months later” in a car accident in Florida.

He said Danielle's grandfather, Fred Lopez Sr., succumbed to COVID in May 2020 and her father, Guy, suffered a fatal heart attack a month later, which may have been triggered by the coronavirus.

“It’s a pretty heavy reality,” said the 58-year-old uncle, who lives in Arizona. “Danielle had a very difficult life and never really recovered from all the deaths and tragedies that happened in our family.”

Choking back tears, he added: “Every member of my family has experienced tragedy. I think my family may have been cursed.

New Jersey State Police would not comment on the investigation beyond saying they are “asking for help” from the public.

“She is known to frequent Brendan T. Byrne State Forest, Pemberton Township and Willingboro Township,” according to a May 22 Facebook post by cops.

“Danielle was sweet, creative and loving,” Quackenbush, now from West Chester, Pa., wrote using the past tense in his Facebook post. “She was a wonderful girl and a vibrant light in my life.”