SEARCH FOR MISSING PERSON CONTINUES
An organized search for missing person Hellen Cook will be held on Thursday, July 25, at 9:00 am. If you are available to assist, please report to the Bledsoe Ferry, east of the dam, in Warsaw where volunteers will receive further instructions from the Benton County Sheriff’s office.
Mrs. Cook who suffers from Alzheimer's was reported to have gone missing on Saturday, July 13, at approximately 11:30 a.m. The Benton County Sheriff’s Office was notified by family at approximately 3:30 p.m. The Office then began a diligent search of the area.
A missing person report was entered into the Mules system and local media stations from the Springfield and Kansas City area were notified and some aired the information that evening. A search was conducted by officers that evening by vehicle, foot, and ATV of the area near the residence.
Area search and rescue dogs responded and a search was conducted through the night. Dog teams told the Sheriff's office that they believed the dogs were on her trail to 7 Highway and Cold Springs Avenue approximately 4 miles from the residence. Dog teams continued the search the next morning in and around Warsaw with negative results. Two private pilots asked if they could fly the area and help. Sheriff Fajen advised that it would be appreciated.
On Sunday afternoon, Mrs. Cook was entered through Troop F as a missing endangered person.
On Monday Sheriff Fajen asked the Missouri State Highway Patrol helicopter to fly the area which they did. The Highway Patrol Water Division patrolled the lake area along with the Missouri Department of Conservation with negative results and another dog team was brought in and searched through the night and part of the next day with negative results.
On Tuesday Sheriff Fajen asked for assistance from the Hickory County Mounted Posse to search the rest of the area from 7 Highway to the residence that could not be seen from the air. That search went till dark and resumed Wednesday with negative results. Multiple officers from the area have maintained a presence and a search of the area for 5 straight days.
On Wednesday afternoon the ground search was halted with no remaining assets known to be available.
Periodic searches of the area were continued by Benton County and State Law Enforcement by land and water with no results.
The Benton County Sheriff’s Office has responded to and checked multiple leads as to possible sightings but none were confirmed or lead to a dead end.
On Sunday, Howard Cook, Hellen's husband, called and asked for a meeting and Sheriff Fajen scheduled it for 10:00 a.m. Monday morning. The family asked if they could get volunteers from the Air Force Base to help do a search. Sheriff Fajen stated that if the Air Force Base had the personnel the Sheriff's office would coordinate a search of the area. The local radio station was alerted of the search and asking for any and all volunteers. Chief Deputy Canfield is coordinating the search with Whiteman Air Force Base which will take place at 9:00 a.m. Thursday morning.
The Sheriff's office has handled all leads up to this point and searched everything to the best of their ability while still providing coverage and service to the rest of Benton County.
