FRANKLIN COUNTY, Va. – It’s been almost two weeks since anyone has heard from the Cook family.
The Franklin County woman and her three kids went missing around September 5.
Dr. Tod Burke is a former Criminal Justice professor at Radford University and police officer. He said there are a few tactics law enforcement may employ in a missing persons case.
“The police will search the homes and close vicinity, and they may check local hospitals, check areas that are frequented by the missing persons,” Dr. Burke said. “What are their hangouts, certainly check cell phone records.”
Dr. Burke said the public needs to keep their eyes open in order to help find the family.
“They have to have been somewhere,” Dr. Burke said. “Someone, somewhere has seen them, whether it be a grocery store, a gas station if they’re traveling by car, or again are they hiding out somewhere? In someone else’s home, in the woods.”
Dr. Burke said most missing persons are found, but he said that the longer it’s been since they’ve been heard from, the more problematic a case becomes.
According to him, the public can play a valuable role in solving missing persons cases by staying up to date on the case and always keeping an eye out.