Authorities Confident Iowa Cousins’ Bodies Found

Iowa cousins whose bodies are believed to have been uncovered after a search of five months have not been fully positively identified yet, but authorities say they are “confident” that several factors suggest an end to the search aspect of the disappearances of Lyric Cook and Elizabeth Collins, 8 and 10.

The Iowa cousins whose bodies may have been uncovered this week by hunters in the state have been missing since early July, with a frantic search ongoing in hopes of finding the pair alive. But the discovery by hunters of two bodies police say match the descriptions of the girls (and do not link up with any cases of missing persons in the area aside from Cook and Collins) registered as a difficult blow to two families praying the two would someday return home safe.

Police have stopped short of saying the Iowa cousins’ bodies are definitively the ones located in the woods this week, but they have also confirmed they are of the belief a positive identification is forthcoming in the case. Local law enforcement agents seem clearly troubled by the potential of a double homicide, with Sheriff Tony Thompson saying in a statement on the Black Hawk County Sheriff’s Office website:

“Our hearts and prayers go out to the families and friends of those precious little girls … The Black Hawk County Sheriff’s Office pledges vigilance in our pursuit of those responsible and will extend every resource to concluding this case so that justice may prevail.”

The remains believed to be the Iowa cousins’ bodies were located in the Seven Bridges Wildlife Area.