IA IA - Elizabeth Collins, 8, & Lyric Cook, 10, Evansdale, 13 July 2012 - #13

[MissouriGirl]

I really can't (and don't) see many bikers turning around on Gilbert. Its a well-marked bike route, meaning the sidewalks are wide and there is signage for bikes on each side. Additionally, its busy by E'dale standards, and turning around there would mean turning around in a busy road (with sidewalks designed for bikes) a block from a fairly busy intersection, all directly in front of the police station.

Ahh thank you for clearing this up for me.

 

[CHERIE.T]

I personally rode through that area on my bike twice prior to anything being roped off. The second time was that saturday night, The 14th, and we were stopped by fbi, asking if we ridden that path the day before (no), but then were allowed to ride through. Earlier in the day, there were many people just doing unorganized searching. Not sure why it roped off.

Wow, if the girls were abducted in that area, then a possible crime scene was compromised IF people were walking or :banghead:
biking.

 

[FrayedKnot]

They had that rally at the lake, where they had people write messages to the girls and throw flowers in the water.

They had a birthday party for Elizabeth with cupcakes.

They've had a couple prayer vigils.

They've made a bunch of appearances with various media outlets.

Seems to me that they have done a lot of stuff for a single month. Keep in mind that Heather Collins is on hold from necessary surgery for her pacemaker and DM has legal problems he is forced to attend to.

And both families have other children, whose needs aren't going away.

They may not be in the national media so much but the families continue to do a lot.

And the fact that they were criticized early on for speaking to the media and trying to keep the girls visible.

Well, some of the family was criticized.

Darned if ya do.........

I agree that they have done an admirable job of keeping the focus on the girls even with all of their other problems (legal, medical) that the media and the public seem more concerned about.

 

[Ollipop]

Of course, remember: it's Evansdale, Iowa. A "busy" road is a relative term. My road, which intersects Gilbert, gets maybe 1-2 cars/hour during business hours. Sometimes none at all after dark. Gilbert, being the main E-W artery on the south end of E'dale, is considerably more-traveled. But no road anywhere in Iowa compares to some I've been unlucky enough to commute upon in the Chicago area, or NY, Phoenix, even SLC (known for streets wide enough for a 40-mule team to swing a 180° turn). Still, my kids aren't allowed to cross Gilbert on their own (or River Forest, or Evans for that matter), because there is just enough traffic, moving just fast enough, to be considered "busy," IMO.

 

[GrainneDhu]

This^, and the 12-3 watering thing still bugs me. Do they not own sprinklers? Did he mean that he was in and out from 12-3 moving his sprinkler around?

Maybe he just wanted to be helpful and gave info to LE that he THOUGHT was accurate but possibly a bit exaggerated?

I really think he meant that he was moving his sprinklers around to water the entire lawn evenly. Not that he was holding the hose the whole time and overseeing where every drop of water landed (although there are some people who are so obsessive about their lawns and gardens, I wouldn't be surprised to hear they did this).

In the little town near me, it's a common sight to see someone older sitting outside, watching the world go by and getting up occasionally to adjust their sprinklers just so.

And yes, I think he thought he was being accurate but may not have been, for any of the reasons why eyewitness testimony has been proven to be so unreliable.

 

[CHERIE.T]

They had that rally at the lake, where they had people write messages to the girls and throw flowers in the water.

They had a birthday party for Elizabeth with cupcakes.

They've had a couple prayer vigils.

They've made a bunch of appearances with various media outlets.

Seems to me that they have done a lot of stuff for a single month. Keep in mind that Heather Collins is on hold from necessary surgery for her pacemaker and DM has legal problems he is forced to attend to.

And both families have other children, whose needs aren't going away.

They may not be in the national media so much but the families continue to do a lot.

Yes I'm aware of-those things. Think as you will, but imhoo
once a week isn't much when ones innocent
little girls have vanished off the face of the earth!
I'd be on tv, fb, cable, on any
venue that would listen to me beg for my childs
return.
We're not talking about a pet rabbit that got out of its cage. :moo:

 

[Confusion]

I have read every post so far, and I don't remember seeing this question. That may be because it's unimportant, or it could just be that nobody else thought much about it.

The Carpenters said that they saw them, especially Elizabeth almost every night riding by. If they/she normally went later in the day, is it likely that there was something going on there on that day that would make them want to be there earlier than usual? It seems like there may be a connection to someone who normally gets home from work/school/whatever in the late afternoon, but may have had that day (or just the afternoon) off or just planned to meet them there for lunch.

 

[CHERIE.T]

I have read every post so far, and I don't remember seeing this question. That may be because it's unimportant, or it could just be that nobody else thought much about it.

The Carpenters said that they saw them, especially Elizabeth almost every night riding by. If they/she normally went later in the day, is it likely that there was something going on there on that day that would make them want to be there earlier than usual? It seems like there may be a connection to someone who normally gets home from work/school/whatever in the late afternoon, but may have had that day (or just the afternoon) off or just planned to meet them there for lunch.

that has been asked before, .
That IMO points to a prearranged meeting with.......someone.

 

[katydid23]

Yes and no. It appears to have been a gravel road at some point. This morning I posted aerial photos of the area from the 30's, 50's, 60's, 70's, 80's, 90's, and recently. I would doubt anyone has attended to the surface of this road since the 80's or 90's, but then, there is that temporary restraining fence running between "the road" (if you could call it that) and the lake. I have no idea what that is for, and I assume it was left there after all the recent work done at the lake during the previous draining. For the most part, it is dirt/grass/weeds in there.



Yes. I have noticed the clearing back there on many occasions, even have seen people fishing from lawn chairs, so I knew there was room to maneuver in there, but I had no idea it was accessible from Arbutus, or that a vehicle could drive in there. I had always assumed the only way in was along the fence on the trail or from private property on the lake.

Pic 1: Looking through the gate towards Maiden Lane.

Pic 2: Maiden Lane, looking back towards the gate.

Pic 3: Three giant energy drink cans laying "in the middle of the road," on Maiden Lane

Pic 4: The trail and fences from Maiden Lane (facing SW)

Pic 5: From Maiden Lane, along the fenceline to the jetty (which has a pump on it facilitating the draining of the lake)

BBM

FISHING. Arrghhhh. I just keep coming back to that as a perfect way to 'lure' the girls over a few day period. What is less scary than a nice calm fisherman, who chats with them a few times, shows them his fish. Offers them a soda. Then finally one day he says, I brought some extra poles for you girls, come back and meet me here later and just leave your bikes right there...

 

[Confusion]

They've done far from an admirable job IMO.

Ever heard of a family spokes person who keeps the missings
name and face out there.

They are tryiing

 

[brighidin]

I have read every post so far, and I don't remember seeing this question. That may be because it's unimportant, or it could just be that nobody else thought much about it.

The Carpenters said that they saw them, especially Elizabeth almost every night riding by. If they/she normally went later in the day, is it likely that there was something going on there on that day that would make them want to be there earlier than usual? It seems like there may be a connection to someone who normally gets home from work/school/whatever in the late afternoon, but may have had that day (or just the afternoon) off or just planned to meet them there for lunch.

Maybe it was because grandma had to leave early so E & L decided to go for an early bike ride. Maybe it was because Heather had an appointment and the girls didn't want to help grandma look after E's little sisters? I don't know why, but I see anything sinister or that points to a pre-arranged meeting. (yet)

 

[brighidin]

BBM

FISHING. Arrghhhh. I just keep coming back to that as a perfect way to 'lure' the girls over a few day period. What is less scary than a nice calm fisherman, who chats with them a few times, shows them his fish. Offers them a soda. Then finally one day he says, I brought some extra poles for you girls, come back and meet me here later and just leave your bikes right there...

Maybe. But are 8 and 10 year old girls that interested in fishing. I can see it getting really boring, really fast...but it's possible I'm just projecting since you'd have to pay me a lot of money to even contemplate fishing.

 

[Ollipop]

They've done far from an admirable job IMO.

Ever heard of a family spokes person who keeps the missings
name and face out there.

When was the last time a family member or representative talked to the media or locals?
Remember come tomorrow, they've been gone for a MONTH.

Judge not lest ye be judged, and all that.

The names and faces of these are girls are never out of sight, mind, or earshot around here. Half the family has been dragged through the mud with each appearance, the other half is using all the strength they can muster just to get through each day.

While its true they may not follow the path you think you would follow, trust they are following the path that makes the most sense to them.

 

[Confusion]

Maybe. But are 8 and 10 year old girls that interested in fishing. I can see it getting really boring, really fast...but it's possible I'm just projecting since you'd have to pay me a lot of money to even contemplate fishing.

I loved fishing at that age.

 

[brighidin]

I loved fishing at that age.

I didn't. lol

 

[FrayedKnot]

I loved fishing at that age.

I loved being in a boat on the cool lake water, drinking cokes and eating chips.

The fishing part? Not so much.

 

[Confusion]

I loved being in a boat on the cool lake water, drinking cokes and eating chips.

The fishing part? Not so much.

I was such a "girlie girl" that my very favorite part was cleaning (gutting and scaling) all the fish when we were done. I never have liked eating them though. I think I was about 12 when somebody explained that NOBODY likes cleaning the fish, and they had just suckered me into thinking it was fun and a priviledge to be able to do iit. :blushing:

 

[otto]

I honestly don't see any delay on the part of LE in looking for the girls as live victims. The first two days of the investigation, yes, they checked the lake with sonar, had divers in and dragged it. They had to; it is much more likely for two children to drown than to be abducted.

But at the very same time, they had over 1000 volunteers search 12 square miles of terrain (under absolutely horrid conditions). They checked the local RSOs. They interviewed the parents, apparently pretty intensively (MCM said that she spent 11 hours that first Saturday being interviewed by LE). They called in DCI and the FBI.

Draining the lake attracted a lot of media attention but it actually took a minimal amount of effort from the investigation. The FBI divers would never have been involved in the investigation if they hadn't been needed for the dives (they're specialists). The guys in kayaks paddling around were firefighters; again, not personnel that would normally be investigating disappearances.

The only LE personnel diverted were an officer to keep an eye on the cordoned off area. That was probably a low ranking patrol officer who would not ordinarily be involved in investigation anyway (disappearances usually go to detectives versus patrol).

LE got the parents' cell phones that first Saturday and started checking out the numbers they found that way.

I think that from sometime around 7 pm 13 July LE started treating this as a two pronged investigation: lost children or abducted children.

Thank you for the clarification. You seem to be close to the area ... could you please contact someone about correcting the height in Lyric Cook's profile on the Iowa Govt Missing People Website ... I'm too far away to do it myself:

http://www.iowaonline.state.ia.us/mpic/Controller.aspx?cmd=personDetailCommand&id=29696

Maybe send them this picture and let them know it should be 4'11"

 

[nikb]

I've been lurking occasionally since early on in this case, and wanted to catch up on all of the posts before commenting myself...but you guys/gals are too fast for me! Every time I finish a page (and I'm a speed-reader!) there are more at the end of the thread. So, I'll just jump in here if that's ok!

My thought is that these two girls, as others have suggested, were lured away by someone they had met on previous occasions, and with whom they felt comfortable (at least until things got weird, but by then it's often too late).

As a child, I was the victim of not just one, but TWO attempted abductions. One when I was 10, and one when I was 11. BOTH in broad daylight...the first literally occured in my own driveway, and the second on a busy street in the middle of town as I walked WITH A FRIEND on the sidewalk.

In the first case...the man (who was really only about 18 at the time), spent 2 weeks befriending me, "visiting" me at the park adjacent to my home every day. He first got my attention with his adorable little dog, Max, who was great at jumping to catch frisbees. This man put a lot of effort into making me think we were great friends, and that I was helping him SOOOO much by assisting in the design of the bandana that "Max" would wear in his next frisbee-catching competition. He brought me soda, he played basketball with me....totally unbeknownst to anyone in my family despite the fact that my front door was literally 500 feet away! This man, Mark, (he actually told me his real name...he is listed at the Megan's Law website...why?...because shortly after he tried to abduct me, he was arrested for raping/sodomizing some other poor child under 14 years of age that he managed to get his hands on), convinced me that we were friends. I looked forward to seeing him each day. In fact, I went into the park and *waited* for him in the mornings! The last day I saw him (before finding him on the Megan's Law website, that is), his car approached as I was standing in my driveway. He cheerily greeted me by name, all smiles, and excitedly said that he wanted to buy me some new markers for all of the artwork I'd been doing on Max's bandana. Hop in the car, he said....we'll go up to Newberry's (less than a mile from my home) and you can pick out the art supplies yourself!

I was a poor kid from a (very) broken home (even though we lived in a nice beachtown in southern California). New art supplies and a great (not to mention, handsome) buddy to hang out with was a dream come true for a girl like me. I took a step forward and immediately realized that "Max" was not in the car with Mark this time. For some reason, that terrified me, and I ran. As fast as I could go.

Had the dog been in the car, I believe I would have happily climbed right in.

Oh...and I *never* even mentioned any of this to my mother until I was about 35 years old. Just goes to show, that kids do some things we seriously don't understand sometimes.

The other incident was quite different, but it *was* an attempt by multiple men to take two girls at once, so I will describe it in a different post.

But of course, with my own history, I cannot HELP but wonder if anyone in the girls' families (or maybe even neighborhood friends?) might know if either of the girls had ever spoken of an adult "friend"...maybe someone with a "really cute dog"...someone that several neighborhood children might know of, but who has never been convicted of anything so wouldn't be an RSO. Or perhaps, someone who had ever "paid" them for cleaning their yards, bringing their mail up, etc.???

I'm behind again so sorry if this is repetitive but I wanted to say thanks for posting! I'm glad you're here, and VERY VERY glad you're ok. I'm like you on the animals i think. I knew not to go for the "hey little girl wanna see a puppy?" line but seeing the same person, same dog, being asked to help design his bandana. for a show.. I can see being all over that. It's how I feel like it SHOULD be, it's just so scary when it's not. I'm glad you trusted yourself enough to not get in the car!

I wonder how many of us have had near-miss attempted abductions and never even realized it.

 

[MissouriGirl]

Do we know which bike was laying down and which one was leaning on the fence?