A kindergarten teacher from Jersey City was found dead in “what appeared to be a shallow grave,” authorities said Wednesday.
Police discovered the body of Luz Hernandez, 33, on Tuesday while conducting a welfare check on the mother of three.
Hernandez was reported missing Monday by her employer, BelovED Charter School, when she missed work on Monday. It’s believed she had been missing since Saturday, NJ.com reported.
The young mother’s body was discovered in “what appeared to be a shallow grave” dug near Central Avenue and Third Street in Kearny around 4:53 p.m. Tuesday, Hudson County Prosecutor Esther Suarez said in a statement.
She was pronounced dead at the scene.
Hernandez’s death is considered suspicious, and the official cause and manner of death are pending the findings of the state Regional Medical Examiner’s Office.
She began working at BelovED as a teacher’s assistant in 2017. The school was closed on Wednesday as a sign of respect.
BelovED founder Bret Schundler said counselors are available for both teachers and students.
“People loved her. She was a wonderful co-worker,” Schundler told NJ.com. “She was a beloved member of the BelovED family. People are feeling devastated by this.”
The Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office Homicide Unit is investigating the case with assistance from the Jersey City Police Department and the Kearny Police Department.
No arrests have been made at this time.
If officials declare Hernandez’s death a homicide, it would be the fifth in Hudson County this year.
Another Jersey City teacher, Temara King, 35, was shot dead by her husband late last month in their apartment, the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office said.