Missing Westfield woman found
By Kathy McCarty
Staff Writer
WESTFIELD — Police in Portland have identified a body located in a remote area as that of Elana Lozada, 24, a Westfield woman reported missing last summer by her mother, Carrie Cronkite.
Cronkite heard from her daughter in June 2010, when the young woman reportedly told her mother she was in the hospital and was considering going to a residential treatment facility for a drug-related issue. By July, Lozada, who had been residing in the Portland area, called her mother to tell her she’d been kicked out of her apartment and planned to hitch a ride to Boston. That was the last contact the family had with Lozada.
Soon after that call, Cronkite reported her daughter missing to police. For the past nine months, family and friends have held vigils and prayed Lozada would be found.
The discovery of a woman’s body in mid-April and the subsequent identification of it as that of Lozada has been bittersweet for loved ones, who spent Easter remembering her. Cronkite moved to Maine from New York with her five children, including Lozada, who was 8 at the time, following a divorce. Lozada was described as “a happy child” involved with the community and church, who later developed depression that required treatment.
Police have not indicated the cause of death but have deemed Lozada’s death as suspicious. State Police and the Maine Warden Service assisted in the search of a wooded area off Route 52 in Northport on Monday, looking for additional evidence in connection with the missing Portland woman. According to police, partial remains were found on the property earlier this month and were later determined to be Lozada’s.
Investigators from the Portland Police Department and the State Medical Examiner’s Office also gathered Monday morning at the site to continue to search over several acres for clues on what happened to the woman. Searchers were aided at the scene by police dogs. Portland Police is the lead agency involved in the investigation.
Officials completed their search on Tuesday of the heavily-wooded area that consists of several acres located in Northport. Police Lt. Gary Rogers indicated some recoveries were made but did not say what was recovered. The first search, which took place April 16, was deemed “fruitful” by police, who called the area off Route 52 a crime scene. Rogers did not say if any charges were pending or whether police had a suspect in the case.
A memorial service is being planned for Friday, at 7 p.m. at the Family Christian Center, located on Route 1 just north of Presque Isle.
