Elizabeth Collins, Lyric Cook-Morrissey: Authorities "grasping for straws" in missing Iowa girls case, sheriff deputy says

By: Crimesider Staff
Topics: Daily Blotter

Undated photo of missing Iowa cousins Lyric Cook-Morrissey (left) and Elizabeth Collins (right)

/ Personal photo

(CBS/AP) DES MOINES, Iowa - Authorities say they've uncovered no significant evidence in the search for missing cousins Elizabeth Collins and Lyric Cook-Morrissey, three days after their bicycles were found near a lake in northeast Iowa.

PICTURES: Hundreds search for missing Iowa cousins

Black Hawk County Sheriff's Deputy Rick Abben says local, state and federal authorities have been "grasping for straws" in the frantic search for 8-year-old Elizabeth and her 10-year-old cousin, Lyric.

Abben says no eyewitnesses have reported seeing the girls. They've been missing since leaving their grandmother's house Friday afternoon in Evansdale.

Several hundred volunteers helped search the area Saturday and Sunday around Meyers Lake in Evansdale.

Abben says authorities have been doing house-to-house searches around the clock. He says it's still considered a missing persons case.

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by goodbyeamerica July 17, 2012 1:59 AM EDT

Three days missing, bikes found near a lake, no witnesses to anything. I highly doubt both girls went into the lake and both drown. I believe they we abducted, even though the abduction of more then one person is rare. Whether the placement of the bikes was where they were abducted or was a trick by the abductor to throw off the scent of abduction I don;t know. But it's fairly safe to say they were abducted. Iowa is not heavily forested, no mountains, no true rugged terrain. Just fields. After 72 hours someone would of found them by now or the girls would of made their way to someone. Very very sad.

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by knewsteerrrrr July 17, 2012 9:10 AM EDT: Yep, they wouldn't simply just become "missing" and leave their bikes, a purse and cell phone behind, pretty obvious they were kidnapped and taken away. No doubt both are dead and not "missing," even the law enforcement figured that out on day one- that's why they started searching the lake, body recovery.