Current:Home > MyPolice say a Virginia mom, her 3 kids are missing. Her husband says he's not concerned. -EquityZone
Police say a Virginia mom, her 3 kids are missing. Her husband says he's not concerned.
View
Date:2025-04-27 23:07:22
Police are searching for a Virginia woman and her three children considered missing for about two weeks, though her husband has told a local TV station that his family is fine.
Lauren Elizabeth Cook, 30, was last seen with her three children at the the family's Ferrum home in southwest Virginia at the end of August, and she last spoke with her mother around Sept. 5, according to the Franklin County Sheriff's Office.
Her children are: 2-year-old Elijah, 5-year-old Hannah and 7-year-old Benjamin.
Here's what we know:
Police hunt for ex-NFL player:Ex-NFL player Sergio Brown missing after his mother killed near Chicago-area home
Unsuccessful communication
When Cook's mother last spoke with her daughter on the phone, she said that she and the children were in New York visiting family, sheriff's Sgt. Megan Huston told USA TODAY on Tuesday.
She said that Cook's bank account has had no recent activity and that her cellphone last pinged on Sept. 7 in Lexington, Virginia, about 90 miles northeast of the home she shares with her husband and children in Ferrum, a rural area in the Blue Ridge Mountains with about 2,100 residents.
"Communication efforts with Lauren have been unsuccessful," the sheriff's office posted on its Facebook page on Sept. 13, releasing photos of the family and asking the public for help to find them.
As of Tuesday all three children were listed on the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children's website.
They may be traveling in a 2013 blue Chrysler van with a Virginia license plate, the non-profit said.
Cops say man faked death to avoid court:'Missing' kayaker faked Louisiana drowning death to avoid child-sex charges
Father: 'I have no reason to be concerned'
Jordan Cook, Lauren Cook's husband and the father of their children, could not be reached by USA TODAY on Tuesday.
But he told WSET-TV that he has heard from his wife since she's been considering missing.
"Contrary to what has been reported, my wife and children are not 'missing,'" the husband said in a statement to the outlet. "I have no reason to be concerned about their safety or well-being. I have heard from my wife, and I'm sure she and my children are doing well. We ask that our family's privacy be respected at this time."
'Still entered as missing'
Despite Jordan Cook's comments, Huston said that the search for the mother and children continues.
"If the husband has had contact with Lauren since then, we aren’t aware of it," Huston said Tuesday. "Lauren Cook and the three children are still entered as missing. Law enforcement (wherever it may be) has to lay eyes on her and the children in order for them to be removed as missing from the system."
Anyone with information about the missing family is asked to contact the Franklin County Sheriff's Office or their local law enforcement agency.
Natalie Neysa Alund is a senior correspondent for USA TODAY. Reach her at [email protected] and follow her on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter @nataliealund.
veryGood! (3)
Related
- Trump invites nearly all federal workers to quit now, get paid through September
- U.S. agrees to withdraw troops from Niger
- Trial opens for former Virginia hospital medical director accused of sexual abuse of ex-patients
- Mississippi lawmakers move toward restoring voting rights to 32 felons as broader suffrage bill dies
- Rylee Arnold Shares a Long
- Express files for bankruptcy, plans to close nearly 100 stores
- Ford, Toyota, Tesla among 517,000 vehicles recalled: Check car recalls here
- U.S. News & World Report lists its best electric and hybrid vehicles for 2024
- 'Kraven the Hunter' spoilers! Let's dig into that twisty ending, supervillain reveal
- Key takeaways from the opening statements in Donald Trump’s hush money trial
Ranking
- Juan Soto to be introduced by Mets at Citi Field after striking record $765 million, 15
- Beyoncé Shares Rare Look at Her Natural Hair With Wash Day Routine
- Bluey is all grown up in 'Surprise' episode on Disney+. Now fans are even more confused.
- Republican candidates vying for Indiana governor to take debate stage
- EU countries double down on a halt to Syrian asylum claims but will not yet send people back
- Meet California's Toy Man, a humble humanitarian who's brought joy to thousands of kids
- Lawyer defending New Hampshire in youth center abuse trial attacks former resident’s credibility
- 2nd victim dies from injuries after Texas man drove stolen semitrailer into building, officials say
Recommendation
Jorge Ramos reveals his final day with 'Noticiero Univision': 'It's been quite a ride'
Without cameras to go live, the Trump trial is proving the potency of live blogs as news tools
Biden administration tightens rules for obtaining medical records related to abortion
Taylor Swift reveals inspiration for 5 'Tortured Poets Department' songs on Amazon Music
B.A. Parker is learning the banjo
Here's how to track the status of your 2024 tax refund
Supreme Court denies request by Arizona candidates seeking to ban electronic vote tabulators
Olivia Munn Shares How Son Malcolm Helped Lift Her Up During Rough Cancer Recovery