FRANKLIN COUNTY, VIRGINIA: Jordan Cook, the spouse of a Virginia mother who disappeared alongside their three children, claims that his family is in good health, raising alarming concerns, with police actively involved in the investigation.
A frantic search is underway for Lauren Elizabeth Tousa Cook, 30, and her three children, 2-year-old Elijah, 5-year-old Hannah, and 7-year-old Benjamin, who have been missing for approximately two weeks.
Lauren Cook and her children's last known whereabouts
Lauren, and her three children, Elijah, Hannah, and Benjamin were last seen at their family's Ferrum home, a rural area in southwest Virginia, at the end of August. According to the Franklin County Sheriff's Office, Lauren last spoke with her mother around September 5.
Conflicting reports about family's whereabouts
When Lauren's mother spoke to her daughter on the phone, Lauren mentioned that she and the children were in New York visiting family, said Sheriff's Sgt Megan Huston on Tuesday, September 19.
This information created confusion, as it contradicted the fact that the family had disappeared from their Ferrum home. Furthermore, Lauren's bank account displayed no recent activity, and her cellphone's last known location was in Lexington, Virginia, approximately 90 miles northeast of her residence in Ferrum, a rural area in the Blue Ridge Mountains with about 2,100 residents, on September 7.
Public appeal and children still listed as missing
On September 13, the Franklin County Sheriff's Office made a public plea for information on its Facebook page, sharing photos of Lauren and her children, asking for the community's assistance in locating them, noting, "Communication efforts with Lauren have been unsuccessful." As of the latest update, all three children are still listed as missing on the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children's website.
Physical descriptions and vehicle information
Lauren is described as 5'1 with long brown hair and brown eyes. Benjamin Cook, aged seven, has blue eyes and blonde hair, while five-year-old Hannah Cook has brown eyes and blonde hair.
Two-year-old Elijah Cook also has blue eyes and blonde hair. They may be traveling in a 2013 blue Chrysler van with a Virginia license plate.
Jordan Cook says 'no reason to be concerned!'
Cook, Lauren's husband and the father of their children, said that he has heard from his wife since the disappearance, and emphasized that they are not "missing" and urged the public to respect their family's privacy.
"Contrary to what has been reported, my wife and children are not 'missing'. 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," he told WSET.
However, law enforcement officials maintain that the search for Lauren and her children is ongoing.
Sgt Huston stated, "If the husband has had contact with Lauren since then, we aren’t aware of it. 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 requested to contact the Franklin County Sheriff's Office or their local law enforcement agency or call them at (540) 483-3000.