A Rutgers University student who disappeared over two weeks ago was last seen entering a vehicle with an individual who had previously threatened him, according to his family.

Mortimer Wortman IV, aged 22, was captured on surveillance cameras on the evening of November 21 at the Regional Day School parking lot in New Jersey.

Family members allege that the individual accompanying Wortman was the same person who had menaced him with a knife during the summer months, as reported by CBS News.

“He was pursuing my son around town in Point Pleasant,” said Wortman’s father, Mortimer Wortman III, in an interview with the news outlet. “The public alerted authorities, leading to an arrest.”

However, Wortman III expressed frustration, stating, “There was no bail. They released him.”

His family said that man reported Wortman missing on November 22. The information was confirmed by the outlet from a police source, but no charges have been brought against him in relation to the disappearance. 

No evidence pointed that Wortman was forced into the vehicle, his brother Ivan Marks told the network. But Marks believes his brother ‘likes to see the best in people.’

‘I’m sure he could have been coerced or persuaded to, you know, get in that vehicle,’ Marks added. 

Mortimer Wortman IV, 22, was last seen on surveillance footage on the evening of November 21 in the Regional Day School parking lot in New Jersey

Wortman’s family claim that the person he got in the car with was someone who had threatened him with a knife over the summer. Wortman left seen with his brother on the right

Wortman seen with family who say they aren’t giving up on looking for the senior Rutgers student

The senior Rutgers student’s family are pleading for their son’s return and aren’t giving up. 

‘Our concerns are for our son,’ Wortman III said. ‘We want to know where he’s at.’

‘I’m very hopeful,’ Marks added. ‘My family and I are very hopeful. We believe he is alive somewhere. We have a lot of faith.’

A close friend of his at Rutgers, Abigail Bischoff, told News 12 Jersey that she had been posting fliers with Wortman’s photo around campus. 

She has also spent time searching with his family, and told the outlet: ‘It’s scary out there… it’s the middle of the Pine Barrens. There’s not a whole lot of people around.’

Another school friend, Dylan Eskow, said that a lot of fellow classmates have been worried. 

‘He wouldn’t just run away,’ Eskow told the outlet. ‘[Wortman’s] a super nice kid. He always put others above him, no matter what. Whether it’s family, friends or strangers in general.’

According to Wortman’s aunt, Kimberly Rose, the Jackson Police Department arrived within hours with drones and dogs to search for Wortman.

Wortman’s brother, Ian Marks, said that he is ‘very hopeful’ that his brother is alive and that his family will find him

Another family member, Monica Rios Janney, said that Wortman was a lover of music, art, fashion and plants who ‘is so very loved by all those who know him’

‘This past Saturday there were multiple organizations & agencies assisting in the search as well. We are truly grateful for their efforts,’ she wrote on Facebook. 

‘We do however need a full on investigation into the person who [Wortman] was last seen with…The man who was last seen with [Wortman] is a violent person who should not be free whom also violated a no contact order, not once, but twice!

‘I’m confident had this person been arrested & kept incarcerated that my nephew would still be here. Today was the court date that had already been set in place prior to [Wortman’s] disappearance. 

‘This is not coincidence & I cannot fathom how he gets to be amongst the free for such violent offenses. Now the date has now been pushed back. We will not stop looking for you [Wortman]! We will not stop until we get answers & justice is carried out!’

Rose described Wortman as ‘kind, passionate, deserving and has yet to see how good it can get.’

A GoFundMe was created by Wortman’s brother to help with resources for Wortman’s search, as well as a private investigator ‘to help bring him home,’ according to the fundraiser. 

As of Wednesday evening, the fundraiser had garnered just shy of $20,500. 

Another family member, Monica Rios Janney, said that Wortman was a lover of music, art, fashion and plants who ‘is so very loved by all those who know him!’ 

A friend of Wortman said that he is ‘funny, sweet, caring, smart’ and ‘would literally give you the shirt off his back without you having to ask’

‘This sweet young man is still missing… he is a handworker with big dreams. Our family is praying and wants this sweet beautiful soul home with his loved ones,’ Janney wrote on a separate post. 

According to Janney, the man who gave Wortman a ride in his car ‘left him in the a huge wooded Pine Barrens at night and waited over 15 hours to report him missing.’

A friend of Wortman said on Facebook that he is ‘funny, sweet, caring, smart’ and ‘would literally give you the shirt off his back without you having to ask.’

‘To know Mortimer is to truly love him, and to be loved. This has been the worst f***ing 2 weeks. Even if you don’t believe, please please continue to pray for his friends and family. He is NOT just a face on a flyer, he is NOT a runaway kid. He is so loved and we will not give up.’