Law Enforcement on Abducted Girls: No New Information, Investigation Ongoing
KCRG/Gazette/Courier Staff Reports
Signs with messages of love and encouragement are left at Meyers Lake for two abducted Iowa cousins Lyric Cook-Morrissey, 10, of Waterloo, and Elizabeth Collins, 8, of Evansdale, on Sunday, July 22, 2012, in Evansdale, Iowa. The girls were last seen 13 at Meyers Lake. (AP Photo/The Waterloo Courier, Dawn J. Sagert)
By
Aaron Hepker
Story Created:
Jul 24, 2012 at 4:45 PM CDT
Story Updated:
Dec 11, 2012 at 12:50 PM CDT
EVANSDALE, Iowa - Investigators searching for two girls missing from Evansdale said they continue to follow every lead but they still have no solid evidence that can point them to the girls.
Black Hawk County Sheriff's Captain Rick Abben said Tuesday, during his final daily press briefing, that he had “no idea” where Elizabeth Collins, 8, and Lyric Cook Morrissey, 10, might be.
The girls were last seen riding their bikes about 12:15 p.m. in downtown Evansdale on July 13.
“This is a nationwide search going on now,” Abben said. “We have no indication that they are in Evansdale. We have no indication that they are not in Evansdale. I don’t know where they are at. No one know where they are. If we knew where they were at they would be back. We would go after them and get them.”
Abben said they are seeking help from law enforcement in other states, too.
“When I was over to the command center a little while ago a lead came in that was out of state and the FBI agent that was there was calling the FBI in that state to go run that down,” he said.
The tipline has also been flooded with people claiming to be psychics or mediums.
Abben said between 80 and 90 have called in with their vision and officials are checking into each of those leads as well. He added that no two have had the same “vision.”
“We are taking seriously everything. I mean, there is no reason for us not to,” he said.
Officials said last week that they had evidence that the girls were still alive. Abben said Tuesday that they have received no additional evidence leading them to that conclusion.
“We hope so, but we are now in our 11th day,” he said. “As you know, the longer it goes on the statistics show that probabilities go down, but we want to remain upbeat and hopeful. And we have nothing to indicate anything other than that.”
Law enforcement officials are still seeking people who may have seen the girls on or after July 13.
“Anyone with any information is asked to call us no matter how trivial you think that information may be,” he said.
They are also seeking anyone with home or business videos who may have seen the girls.
The tipline at (319) 232-6682 is being answered 24 hours a day.
“We are not scaling back on the investigation,” Abben said. He added that all law enforcement agencies “are continuing to vigorously pursue this case.”
“We’ve still got two missing girls and we want them back,” he said.
