Elizabeth Collins, Lyric Cook-Morrissey: Parents of one missing Iowa girl address criminal records

By: Casey Glynn
Topics: Daily Blotter

Misty and Dan Morrissey speak to the media near Meyers Lake

/ AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall

(CBS/KCCI) - Almost a week after the disappearance of 10-year-old Lyric Cook and her cousin, 8-year-old Elizabeth Collins, Lyric's parents are finding themselves under scrutiny for their criminal records.

Pictures: Hundreds search for missing Iowa cousins

According to CBS affiliate KCCI, online public records show that Lyric's father, Daniel Morrissey, has faced several drug possession charges in the past. Morrissey was also charged last August with domestic abuse assault causing bodily injury, and displaying a weapon, weapons show. A judge ordered him not to have contact with his wife, Misty.

A judge set a date for trial on those charges the day before Lyric and Elizabeth went missing.

Misty Cook-Morrissey has spent time in prison on meth charges.

Police are questioning the entire family in the Iowa girl's disappearance; an experience that Daniel Morrissey recently said made him feel like a suspect.

"You tell them the truth and they say, 'You're holding something back,' and you're not. What is left to talk about? You know, we go over and over and over again," Morrissey told KCCI. "It made me feel like, 'Yeah, they're looking at me like a suspect.'"

Lyric and Elizabeth were last seen on Friday, July 13 at their grandmother's house in Evansdale, a suburb of Waterloo. Their bicycles and Elizabeth's purse were found later that day at nearby Meyers Lake and FBI dogs detected the girls' scent in the area.

Misty's sister, Tammy Brousseau, told KWWL that Lyric's parents have nothing to hide.

"They knew that it would come out, it's public record. They're working with the detectives, the FBI, everybody 100 percent," Brousseau said.

Black Hawk County Chief Deputy Sheriff Rick Abben has also said the family was cooperating with the investigation.

The Morrisseys told KCCI that they don't have a lawyer and don't intend to get one. Instead, they're spending their time at the lake and on national TV.

With questions coming from every direction, they reportedly said the ones from police seem to be the hardest.

"It's not normal to us; it's awkward. But we know it's part of the investigation and very necessary and they want to rule out everything, if it's someone we've encountered over the years, so I understand that," Misty Cook-Morrissey said.

Complete coverage of the missing Iowa cousins on Crimesider

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by ksgal6886 July 23, 2012 12:22 PM EDT: I don't understand why they would abduct their own children if the cops think they are alive?; Reply to this comment


by Soroka1989 July 20, 2012 1:51 PM EDT: Maybe this is irrelvant but I have read many articles on this story and non have been about the 8 year old girls parents. They haven't really spoken. Just that they are somewhere else. Thats kind of weird...; Reply to this comment


by ahendryx819 July 20, 2012 10:11 AM EDT: I don't know what to think of this yet. But, sad to say, a lot of people have drug and/or domestic violence charges. It doesn't necessarily mean that they had anything to do with it....; Reply to this comment


by Teddie Seeley July 20, 2012 6:10 AM EDT: I suppose if they had drug convictions, they would look at them, a bit harder, trying to find out if they were in trouble with their connections.
I just hope they find the girls alive.; Reply to this comment


by caljack430 July 19, 2012 9:24 PM EDT: wait... isn't the father not supposed to be in contact with the mother? i'm confused. they are standing together.; Reply to this comment