Missing Girls in Iowa Identified After Bodies Discovered by Hunters
Investigators in Iowa identified the two bodies found by hunters last week as 10-year-old Lyric Cook and 8-year-old Elizabeth, both of whom had been missing since July.
Police had stated that the two bodies were found by hunters in a wooded area last week in the Seven Bridges Wildlife Area in Bremer County.
Police Chief Kent Smock of the Evansdale, Iowa, Police Department, stated that after the bodies had been positively identified, the families were notified of the outcome, according to a statement
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Authorities have not released the cause of the death, as police are still conducting their investigation.
The two girls went missing in July and were last seen reportedly riding their bicycles. The girls' bikes were found along with a cell phone, but there was no evidence of the two cousins.
Investigators searched the surrounding area with police dogs and posted pictures of the girls throughout the area, yet were unable to find any evidence of the two.
The news of the missing girls spread quickly and led to over 1,000 volunteers donating their time to help police in the search.
Police have not classified the disappearance as an abduction and are examining evidence to see if there was any foul play that was involved.
The girls' grandmother, Wylma Cook, previously told ABC News that she was afraid the girls had been abducted and made a heartfelt plea for their return.
"Whoever has them, just turn them in, let them loose anywhere so they can call me," she said.
Rick Abben, captain of the Black Hawk County Sheriff's Office had stated that there was nothing to indicate the girls had been the victims of foul play and conveyed his sadness upon discovery the bodies were those of the two girls.
"It's definitely not the outcome that we wanted, obviously … this is a difficult thing for us to go through. It's a difficult thing for the community," Abben said in a statement.
