Recovered/Located VA - Lauren Cook, 30, & 3 children 7,5 & 2. Maybe travelling in a blue 2013 Chrysler van, Franklin County, 5 Sept 2023

[daybreaking]

Missing Virginia Mom Lauren Cook Says She and 3 Kids Are Safe But 'Terrified' by Inquiry into Child Abuse Claims (Exclusive)

Missing Virginia mom Lauren Cook says she and her three kids are safe but afraid of an inquiry into bogus child abuse allegations.

themessenger.com

 

[Sillybilly]

from: Mother missing with her children made contact with family but won’t give location

Mother missing with her three children made contact with family but ‘no one knows where they are’​

‘My daughter and my grandchildren are still missing. No one knows where they are,’ Lauren Cook’s mother said​

Kelly Rissman
3 days ago

 

[bombardier]

from: Mother missing with her children made contact with family but won’t give location

Not really missing if interview was for sure with Lauren... more like "in hiding". This will not make her look any better in the eyes of the courts, and may incur a Interference with Custody charge imo....

 

[cocomod]

Not really missing if interview was for sure with Lauren... more like "in hiding". This will not make her look any better in the eyes of the courts, and may incur a Interference with Custody charge imo....

If she is correct, the initial charges have now been dropped, so she may not face any interference charges. <modsnip - no link>

 

[Simply Southern]

Ain't buying her story.

Also, note... The Messenger was unable to reach the dad. They are either not contacting local media intentionally or local media is refusing to play into their tactics. MOO

Contrary to her claim, the "charges" have been dropped, finding it hard to believe, reading the Code of VA.
This is not over... I see No loop hold to drop the investigation.

LC is correct initially there should not be charges to claimed offenses, without direct proof, per code an investigation takes place. DSS is required to report to the Commonwealth Attorney within 2 hours.

She refused, per article to allow DSS to speak with the children and heads out on a planned vacation That's when a judge would issue a summon to appear with the children.

The no show, perhaps a failure to appear was issued. VSP, FBI notified, again w/in 2 hours children missing.
VSP issue MPR to media

Until LC or the father , appear with the children VSP and FBI will continue to work this. I didn't realize so much of the law is federal, it's been an interesting journey to try and verify both their communication. The code is very detailed, lengthy, easy to read step by step.
All my opinion only

https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/title63.2/chapter15/section63.2-1503/#:~:text=The%20local%20department%20shall%20use,protective%20services%20case%20opened%20and%20(

D. The local department shall notify the local attorney for the Commonwealth and the local law-enforcement agency of all complaints of suspected child abuse or neglect involving (i) any death of a child; (ii) any injury or threatened injury to the child in which a felony or Class 1 misdemeanor is also suspected; (iii) any sexual abuse, suspected sexual abuse or other sexual offense involving a child, including but not limited to the use or display of the child in sexually explicit visual material, as defined in § 18.2-374.1; (iv) any abduction of a child; (v) any felony or Class 1 misdemeanor drug offense involving a child; or (vi) contributing to the delinquency of a minor in violation of § 18.2-371, immediately, but in no case more than two hours of receipt of the complaint, and shall provide the attorney for the Commonwealth and the local law-enforcement agency with records and information of the local department, including records related to any complaints of abuse or neglect involving the victim or the alleged perpetrator, related to the investigation of the complaint.

 

[Chelly]

I have serious concerns about the children. I do not believe they are "fine".

 

[Simply Southern]

I have serious concerns about the children. I do not believe they are "fine".

I don't either

 

[branmuffin]

I don't know anything about this family other than they seem to seek out a healthy lifestyle where they ensure they eat foods that don't cause any latent problems like inflammation, that are neurotoxic, have questionable ingredients that are cancer causing agents. On her FB page she talks about recipes that are very healthy, she shares links that are meant to seek inner peace, addressing issues like anxiety and uplifting women.

<modsnip - referenced posts removed for sleuthing non POI>


I haven't seen anything from any of the comments made by her mother, child protection services or individuals who know them that suggests the children were in danger. I could be way off base here but I think I understand her fear of a tribunal of a latter day Inquisition that could permanently remove her children. There are so many laws that have sprung up in the last couple of years in the US that seem like a form of recidivism like book banning, etc. that people fear reprisals if their belief system doesn't conform.

 

[Unalienable Rights]

Video of her interview.

Missing Virginia Mom Lauren Cook Seen on Video for First Time, Tells The Messenger, 'This Has Turned Into a Manhunt' (Exclusive)

Lauren Cook, a Virginia mom who, along with her children, has been the subject of a nationwide search, broke her silence, telling The Messenger on Wednesday that she and her kids are not in danger and have been fearful of a state investigation based on an anonymous child abuse complaint.

themessenger.com

 

[Megnut]

Video of her interview.

Missing Virginia Mom Lauren Cook Seen on Video for First Time, Tells The Messenger, 'This Has Turned Into a Manhunt' (Exclusive)

Lauren Cook, a Virginia mom who, along with her children, has been the subject of a nationwide search, broke her silence, telling The Messenger on Wednesday that she and her kids are not in danger and have been fearful of a state investigation based on an anonymous child abuse complaint.

themessenger.com

8 minute video. Very revealing, a must-watch.

The person who made the anonymous call to CPS at the start of this is one of the people she had reached out. That narrows that field down considerably. Looks like the caller felt like maybe the mother/children were sort of being held captive, Stolkholm style. Oppressed...

The caller attempted to rescind the complaint but, of course, that's not how that works.

She claims she merely followed through on vacations plans. Upstate NY? Claims she is out and about with the children, parks and splash pads...

She does have the right to live an alternative, unorthodox lifestyle, but I'm not sure she had the right to keep CPS from investigating, assuring the well-being of the children. MOO

She claims she left on the advice of an attorney, I think because she wasn't told by CPS that she had to stay put. Doubtful an attorney would have advised her to leave indefinitely, effectively hiding.

I do hope this can be resolved swiftly and safely and satisfactorily.

JMO

 

[Simply Southern]

They've changed their strategy, over the last two days. Seems the social media campaign hasn't worked out well for them.

Now they have moved on to The Messenger. They must be allowing them to control the message. Do they really think, they can BS the public?

I didn't hear any interviewer in the video. I think it was prerecorded and sent. No way was this live.

LC dressed nice, well spoke, calm, good presentation, but not real.

All my opinion

 

[Chelly]

They've changed their strategy, over the last two days. Seems the social media campaign hasn't worked out well for them.

Now they have moved on to The Messenger. They must be allowing them to control the message. Do they really think, they can BS the public?

I didn't hear any interviewer in the video. I think it was prerecorded and sent. No way was this live.

LC dressed nice, well spoke, calm, good presentation, but not real.

All my opinion

Wish we could have heard the voices of her children on that video. Wonder how she is financing this vacation disappearance. Is she getting assistance?

 

[imstilla.grandma]

I just don't have any solid answers yet as to what's happening with this case," she said.

The interview was conducted over an app that can't be tracked, and it began with a video call to confirm Cook's identity

She said everything started with an anonymous report to the Department of Social Services alleging child abuse. Both she and her husband, Jordan Cook, said the accusations were false.

Putting an emergency removal order based on these allegations, it was overstepping their boundaries, in my opinion," the husband, Jordan Cook, said.

Despite the pending investigation, Lauren Cook said a lawyer advised her that she could still go on a planned Labor Day vacation.

But then she decided to extend that vacation after she said she got more legal advice and became concerned the Department of Social Services was going to take the children away

Report alleging abuse led missing mom of 3 to take the kids and hide, she says from secret location

A woman who was reported missing earlier this month, along with her three children, has told a TV station why she did it, but she would not say where they are.

katu.com

 

[Dhighsmith]

8 minute video. Very revealing, a must-watch.

The person who made the anonymous call to CPS at the start of this is one of the people she had reached out. That narrows that field down considerably. Looks like the caller felt like maybe the mother/children were sort of being held captive, Stolkholm style. Oppressed...

The caller attempted to rescind the complaint but, of course, that's not how that works.

She claims she merely followed through on vacations plans. Upstate NY? Claims she is out and about with the children, parks and splash pads...

She does have the right to live an alternative, unorthodox lifestyle, but I'm not sure she had the right to keep CPS from investigating, assuring the well-being of the children. MOO

She claims she left on the advice of an attorney, I think because she wasn't told by CPS that she had to stay put. Doubtful an attorney would have advised her to leave indefinitely, effectively hiding.

I do hope this can be resolved swiftly and safely and satisfactorily.

JMO

“Why do they need me to specifically come in-person with kids ... when even the person that made the report is telling them that none of us are missing."

It’s unlikely the suspicion I now have is valid but the only person who “is telling” that they are not missing is her husband.

 

[Megnut]

“Why do they need me to specifically come in-person with kids ... when even the person that made the report is telling them that none of us are missing."

It’s unlikely the suspicion I now have is valid but the only person who “is telling” that they are not missing is her husband.

There are at least two people. She's spoken to her husband and her mother. Someone close to her reported her, she believes, someone who believes she is suffering from Stockholm, which I read to mean something akin to a religious cult. Perhaps the reporting party felt that LC wasn't free to make her own decisions.... and wanted a wellness check, so to speak. That person tried to rescind their complaint.... but it's not up to that person because CPS is involved. And they likely can't sign off until they've seen and evaluated the children. Perhaps there is a, for lack of a better phrase, parenting behavior that is questionable which the parents stand behind but CPS might not be so understanding.

I think it's at an impasse because IMO LC isn't going to surface as long as there remains an indication CPS will take the children but there's actually no order in place to do so... so LC is technically no fugitive, just on extended holiday.

Just not sure what the end game here is. Homeschoolers? Is she still homeschooling them now? Does she plan to stay where she is for months???? Through labor and delivery?

Is she a mama bear or an outlaw?

(all JMO)

 

[ConcernedVA]

A few things that stood out to me from her video:
1) She is feeling “untrustworthy.” Was this a Freudian slip or does she just not know what this means? Interesting either way. More interesting if she truly doesn’t know because then I’m imagining her instructing the children on the word.
2) “Some people are saying I’m a bad mom.” I have noticed that people who reference whether or not they are a good/bad parent seem to secretly think they are NOT a good parent. It has never crossed my mind to wonder if I am a good or bad mom, much less what others thought.
3) Although I understand the fear over your kids possibly going in foster care while some strangers figure stuff out, why is the reaction to take off? When someone falsely accuses me of something, I am indigent and waiting for the apology. I don’t go stealthy. I feel like either she feels she is in the wrong, or she is USED to being in the wrong.

I feel bad for the kids.

And I want to reiterate, Franklin County is not trying to steal children. There are a lot of kids they probably SHOULD steal but don’t. They try hard to keep families together and leave people alone.

 

[Moonstrawbs]

Unless I've missed something, the children are not seen or heard in that video? So even if Lauren is safe and well, who's to say the children aren't? This is worrying, I hope they're okay. IMO.

 

[Chelly]

Are mom and the kids missing or on a secret vacation? Since she has been in touch with a family member, have LE stopped looking for her? Has anyone seen or heard from the kids? Is there BOLO on her vehicle? If the charges against her are bogus or have been dropped, why doesn't she return and face the music. This disappearance stinks IMO

 

[AmandaSkis]

For as many cases involving children that us regulars have followed, there have been several where we have felt that CPS has dropped the ball. So now, when a woman takes off, we can’t say oh it’s fine it’s her right.

CPS needs to be able to see those children. If there were any marks or evidence of child abuse, my concern is that she is going to keep them away, long enough for anything to heal.

 

[Jurisprudence]

Video of her interview.

Missing Virginia Mom Lauren Cook Seen on Video for First Time, Tells The Messenger, 'This Has Turned Into a Manhunt' (Exclusive)

Lauren Cook, a Virginia mom who, along with her children, has been the subject of a nationwide search, broke her silence, telling The Messenger on Wednesday that she and her kids are not in danger and have been fearful of a state investigation based on an anonymous child abuse complaint.

themessenger.com

She got the "okay" from "her lawyer" to go forward on "vacation" and skip her court date? Sorry, but I don't believe that. That "lawyer" would have informed the court, gotten an adjournment and the hunt for her and these kids never would have ensued. jmo I would believe the lawyer might say you can keep your labor day plans so long as you are back before your appearance date. That would make sense.

Did she say the case was dismissed but she's worried it might be reopened? I'm not sure how that dismissal is possible either after missing consecutive court dates. I don't see the court saying "Oh well, she's not going to appear. We've tried 3x. Let's dismiss it." What's happening here?

At the end of the day though, she has done herself no favors by running. She has cost her home jurisdiction, and other jurisdictions money and resources in trying to track her and her children down.

If her children were so fine, why not put them on camera?

MOO