Elizabeth police take to Facebook to dispel rumors surrounding search for missing teen

ELIZABETH, Pa. — Police departments, fire units and rescue teams “will not stop looking for Jeno Moretti.” In a post on the Elizabeth Borough Police Department’s Facebook page, department officials said they wanted to dispel rumors surrounding the search for the missing teen.

The post says the family will not have to pay any costs related to the search. A GoFundMe page has been set up and police officials said this would help cover the cost of bringing in “highly sophisticated, highly experienced, highly trained search teams from out of state.” The money would be used to pay for things like fuel and hotel expenses.

Crews have been searching the Monongahela River near the Elizabeth Bridge on and off for weeks now. Moretti, 15, was reported missing by his family in the days before Thanksgiving. A tip was called in to investigators that someone matching his description was seen near the bridge. Surveillance video from a nearby facility showed someone matching Moretti’s description walking up the stairs to the bridge in the early morning hours. Officials believe bullying on social media may have contributed to his disappearance. School officials and officials with the State Attorney General’s Office said they were aware of the cyberbullying and were looking into it.

>>>RELATED: Crews search river again for missing teen after family says they received more information

Here is the full text of the post:

“I would like to bring the Elizabeth Community up to date with the Search Efforts for young Jeno Moretti. The Elizabeth Borough Police Department, Jefferson Hills Police Department and most of all the Elizabeth Borough Fire Department and all the assisting Police, Fire and EMS agencies will not stop looking for Jeno Moretti.

“There has been many rumors circulating about this searching situation costs will be placed on the Family. This is so far from the truth!!!!! I have been receiving email, phone calls and in person people questioning why there is a Go Fund Me Page. Questioning the fund, and why the family has to pay for the search efforts. This Go Fund Me Page is a legitimate Fund. The public needs to know that all the individuals who have come out to assist with the searching of Jeno Moretti have been 100% VOLUNTEER. The only comments that have been made about costs were made to express what the value of all the equipment used value was. This by no means was addressed that the Family would be responsible to pay for the searching. The comments were made to cover the cost of expenses to bring in Very Highly sophisticated, highly experienced, Highly Trained Search Teams from out of state, paying for fuel and Hotel/Motel expenses. By no means would Elizabeth Borough Police or Fire Department benefit from the Go Fund Me collections as questioned. It is unfair to think that we would ever charge someone for all this at one Million dollar cost!!!! There is no cost to the Emergency Services no matter what division we are talking about, Police, Fire or EMS. So please if you are considering to donate to the Go Fund Me page, it is to cover the expenses to bring in from very far away, highly trained teams that will assist us at no other costs!!! These people are all Volunteer also!!!! This is what we do!!!!! We greatly appreciate all the Donations by people and Businesses with fluids and food to keep the Volunteers going.”

CLICK HERE if you’d like to contribute to the GoFundMe account

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