HARRINGTON

GLOCESTER — The police are investigating the disappearance of a 52-year-old man who told his family that he was going camping by himself at the George Washington Memorial Camping Area on Friday.

Mark Harrington said he would be back Sunday morning so the family could visit relatives on Cape Cod but he never came home, according to his daughter, Lauren Harrington, 23. His wife, Donna, contacted the police when he did not return.

Glocester police searched a portion of the campground but did not find any traces of Harrington. Capt. Joseph Mattera said that there is no record of Harrington checking into George Washington or two other campgrounds in Glocester. He said the police consider Harrington to be in danger because he has been gone since Friday morning and no one has heard from him since. Harrington did not have a cell phone or credit card, according to his family.

“He was a very basic type man. He didn’t have a cell phone. From what we could tell, he didn’t use a credit card. These are the tools we use to track people,” Mattera said. Glocester police asked the state police to assist in the investigation, Mattera said.

Harrington was driving a black, four-door Honda Element with Rhode Island plates 850-966. He has short brown and gray hair and blue eyes. He wears glasses. He was last seen wearing blue jeans and brown shoes.

He is a day trader who trades stocks and bonds out of his home. Lauren Harrington said her father loves his job and the family became worried when he did not return to start his work.

Harrington said her father enjoys the outdoors but that he had never been on a camping trip alone. He only brought a sleeping bag with him but she did not consider that unusual because he was the type of person who wouldn’t mind sleeping in his car.

“He just wanted to go away and go camping. He said he would be home Sunday but he never came home. He never called. That is not like him. We just want him home. We want to know he is OK. We are praying someone has seen him, that they will call us,” Harrington said.

Harrington said her father had been pretty relaxed and appeared to be happy. Only last month he walked her down the aisle as she was married at St. Joseph Church in Pascoag. Her father and mother have been together for 30 years, Harrington said.

Lauren has walked the George Washington campground with her father and said he had walked it before but had not stayed overnight. She, her husband and a friend searched the campground for her father.

Troy Harrington, Mark Harrington’s 20-year-old son, said not knowing what happened to his father is difficult. “It’s been nerve-racking. I hope somebody sees him and he comes home,” he said.

Mattera said that the police are hoping that media publicity will prompt someone to call with information at (401) 568-2533.

tpina@projo.com