Manhunt for Violent Home Invader Continues

Local and state authorities are still searching for the man who violently beat a young mother in front of her 3-year-old daughter—captured on a nanny cam—in Millburn last week. 

"Police are doing everything that can be done to apprehend this man," Mayor Sandra Haimoff said Wednesday. 

The brutal home invasion occured on Friday morning just after 10 a.m. while the mother was watching cartoons with her daughter and her 1-year-old daughter was sleeping upstairs.

The man kicked down the locked back door of the Cypress Street home and 'vicously' assaulted the woman for more than three minutes while robbing the home.

According to Haimoff, Millburn police are working with county and state authorities as well as nearby police department to find the man involved.

"Because [the video] is out there, it's just a matter of time," Haimoff said.

The Essex County Sheriff's Office  Tuesday, which was quadrupled Wednesday by local residents and businesses.

"You come into a neighborhood and you assume certain things—like safety," said Frank Reino, 86, a Cypress Street resident for 52 years.

Millburn on average has less than 25 violent crimes per year. Capt. Michael Palardy said the last violent home invasion in Millburn occurred more than 15 years ago. 

The incident has spurred the response from the New Jersey Republican Assembly that announced it will introduce new legislation Thursday to increase the severity of punishment for a home invasion. 

The resident described the burglar as a 5-foot-11 black man, about 220 pounds with a salt-and-pepper beard.

Here's how this story has unfolded:

• On Saturday, images were released of the home intruder on Patch.
• Monday Patch released an edited version of the surveillance focusing on the intruder, cutting out the mother and daughter.
• Tuesday Patch posted a small portion of the incident documenting the assault.

Authorities ask anyone with information or who can identify the man in the video to call the Millburn Police at 973-564-7001.

"My heart goes out to the family," Haimoff said.