Body Of Missing NJ College Student Pulled From River: Prosecutor

NORTH JERSEY — The body of a missing college student from Hudson County was pulled from the Hackensack River last week, officials said Wednesday.

Emilio Acosta, 20, was found dead on Friday in Secaucus, the Hudson County Prosecutor's Office said.

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The Weehawken resident had disappeared in mid-December, his parents had told Patch, days after being released from a hospital Emergency Room, where he was treated for mental health issues.

Acosta left his family's Weehawken home on Dec. 18 around midnight after spending six hours at the hospital, his mother had said in an interview. READ MORE: Their Son Disappeared Near MetLife Stadium In NJ. They're Offering A $20K Reward

He was last seen walking near MetLife Stadium in Bergen County in early morning hours, but the family had not heard from him since.

Prosecutors did not release any further details on Wednesday.

'Good Student'

Acosta was a good student growing up in Weehawken, his mother had told Patch in February. He began attending Xavier, a private Jesuit school in New York City, just before the pandemic. His grades dropped and he graduated from Weehawken High School, she said.

He took classes at Hudson County Community College, ultimately transferring to the University of Pittsburgh, but he suffered severe mental health issues, his mom said. He returned home, got treatment, and signed up for more classes at HCCC, his mom said.

This past December, Emilio had a manic episode and was experiencing paranoid thoughts at home in Weehawken, his parents said. He was treated in Englewood and released.

That night, the family heard a door slam around midnight, and Emilio was gone, taking only a jacket and a few items in a backpack.

Videos near MetLife Stadium showed him running past a Shell gas station on Route 3, his mother had told Patch.

"He's a really good kid," his mom said in February, holding back tears. "He wasn't planning on leaving. He knows he's supported here. I know he knows that.

"He may be staying with someone. I read his diaries. They're all about him trying to get better."

READ MORE: Their Son Disappeared Near MetLife Stadium In NJ. They're Offering A $20K Reward