Current:Home > reviewsPolice say a Virginia mom, her 3 kids are missing. Her husband says he's not concerned. -消息
Police say a Virginia mom, her 3 kids are missing. Her husband says he's not concerned.
View
Date:2025-04-18 05:20:44
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! (383)
Related
- Tom Holland's New Venture Revealed
- Ford issues do-not-drive advisory for some vehicles with Takata airbags: See full list
- Chrissy Teigen Shows Off Surgical Scars During Date Night With Husband John Legend
- Trump-backed US Rep. Celeste Maloy wins Republican primary in Utah after recount, court case
- In ‘Nickel Boys,’ striving for a new way to see
- Vikings QB McCarthy needs surgery on meniscus tear in right knee, a big setback in rookie’s progress
- Groceries are expensive, but they don’t have to break the bank. Here are some tips to save
- London security ramps up ahead of Taylor Swift's Eras Tour, safety experts weigh in
- See you latte: Starbucks plans to cut 30% of its menu
- Americans give Harris an advantage over Trump on honesty and discipline, an AP-NORC poll finds
Ranking
- SFO's new sensory room helps neurodivergent travelers fight flying jitters
- Maine regulators reject utility proposal to report suspected marijuana grow operations to police
- Mountain lion kills pet dog in Los Angeles suburb: Gigi was an 'amazing little girl'
- Toyota recall aims to replace every engine in 100,000 Tundra pickups and Lexus SUVs
- Hackers hit Rhode Island benefits system in major cyberattack. Personal data could be released soon
- What are the gold Notes on Instagram? It's all related to the 2024 Paris Olympics
- With the 2025 Honda Odyssey Minivan, You Get More Stuff for More Money
- San Francisco prosecutors charge 26 pro-Palestinian demonstrators who blocked Golden Gate Bridge
Recommendation
Moving abroad can be expensive: These 5 countries will 'pay' you to move there
Commanders sign WR Martavis Bryant, giving him a chance to play in NFL for 1st time since 2018
West Virginia senator removed as committee chair after indecent exposure charges
Presented with rise in border crossings, Harris chose a long-term approach to the problem
A South Texas lawmaker’s 15
As Colorado River states await water cuts, they struggle to find agreement on longer-term plans
Prince William and Kate Middleton Share Touching Letter to Widow After Husband Dies From Cancer Battle
Hundreds able to return home after fleeing wildfire along California-Nevada line near Reno