The husband of missing Virginia woman, Lauren Cook, insist that she’s not missing, despite not being seen in nearly three weeks.
“Contrary to what has been reported, my wife and children are not ‘missing,’” Lauren’s husband, Jordan Cook, told ABC13. “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.”
As CrimeOnline previously reported, Franklin County Sheriff’s Office says 30-year-old Lauren Cook and the children were last seen around September 5 after they did not show up at a family member’s home. She also missed a hearing the Franklin County Juvenile & Domestic Relations Court that day and missed a rescheduled hearing on September 13.
Loved ones reportedly tried to find her initially over several days before reporting the situation to law enforcement.
Investigators added that they’re unsure whether she may have left after a dispute with her husband. Police have no records of domestic violence between the couple or any calls for help to their residence.
Lauren and the children could be in a blue 2013 Chrysler van with Virginia a license plate. Few other details are known publicly. There has been no activity on Cook’s bank or cell phone accounts since September 7, and the last known phone ping was in Lexington.
“The last time that Lauren Cook and her children were seen or heard from family was around September 5, 6 area, and since then they have just not been able to have any communication with her,” Franklin County Sheriff’s Sgt. Megan Huston told WSLS-TV.
“We’re just trying to assist in the search to locate her and her children to make sure that they’re safe.”
Huston clarified that this is not a situation in which one parent without custody takes off with their kids.
On September 14, investigators said Lauren Cook and her children had been in Litchfield, Illinois. The family has ties to other states as well, leading them to believe Lauren and the children are no longer in Franklin County.
After Jordan Cook’s remarks, the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office in Virginia issued a Facebook statement clarifying that Lauren Cook and her children will remain classified as missing persons until law enforcement can confirm their well-being in person.
The sheriff’s office explained that “in-person contact with them” is required “in order to confirm that they are okay and not under duress.”
Cook is described as 5-foot-1 with long brown hair and brown eyes. The eldest child, 7-year-old Benjamin, has blonde hair and blue eyes, while 5-year-old Hannah has blonde hair and brown eyes and 2-year-old Elijah has blonde hair and blue eyes.
To report any information about the location of Cook or the children, call the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office at 540-483-3000.
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[Feature Photo: Ben, Hannah, and Elijah/Franklin County Sheriff’s Office]
