The world lost a ray of sunshine with the passing of Heather Newman Trapp. Tragically, Heather was taken from her family and friends too early at the hands of a murderer.
Heather was a strong-willed, loving and caring woman. She was a person who was loved by many and could make anyone belly laugh with her sense of humor. Although Heather was lost at only 37, her lasting legacy today would be just as what she would have wished many years from now — her two beautiful children, Emma, 5, and Sophia, 20 months.
The strong connection Heather made with friends, family, co-workers and the community was reflected at the memorial service held on December 19 at Menorah Chapels on Staten Island. The chapel was filled with a standing- room only crowd overflowing onto the street.
Heather grew up on Staten Island. She was a dental hygienist and most recently worked at two doctors’ offices in order to support her children. After her passing her office received an outpouring of shock and disbelief for Heather and her family. She was loved and appreciated by her patients.
Heather’s murder was reported widely in local and national newspapers and on television and web sites. In her last communication with her family she said that she was waiting to pick up her children from the New Jersey home of her estranged husband, Anthony Trapp. But after no other word was heard for several hours, police were notified and dispatched to the home. She was found slain inside, but Anthony, who police say murdered her, had disappeared, along with the two girls. Police immediately issued an Amber Alert with information on the children and her stolen car.
Throughout a long, harrowing night the police were tracking all leads until Heather’s stolen car was found outside a motel in upstate New York. The children were found there and Anthony was discovered inside, dead of an apparent suicide.
Sadly, before her death, Heather was denied requests for a restraining order.
These young children have now been left without their mother and father. A fund has been set up in their name and donations can be easily made online at https://www.wepay.com/donations/theheathernewmanfund.
Besides her young children, Heather leaves behind her mother Francine, sister
Jamie and a large extended family. Heather’s father Danny Newman passed away in 1998.
Editor’s Note: Heather Newman is publisher Joshua Schneps’ wife’s first cousin.
