The Franklin County Sheriff’s Office provided an update on a missing woman and her three children last night. Lauren Cook and her three children were reported missing on September 13 after Cook did not appear for a scheduled court appearance in Franklin County Juvenile & Domestic Relations Court. This court date had already been rescheduled from a previous date of September 5, where she did not appear.

On September 14, Investigators confirmed that Lauren and her children were in Litchfield, Illinois. The family has connections in various other states, and it is suspected that they are not in Franklin County.

To clear Lauren and her children from being “missing persons”, a law enforcement agency must make in-person contact with them in order to confirm that they are okay and not under duress. Until then, they will remain in local and national databases as “missing”.

Anyone that has contact with Cook is urged to contact the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office at 540-483-3000.