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Subscribe to RSSCousins Elizabeth Collins, 8, and Lyric Cook-Morrissey, 10, have now been missing for 12 days, and signs of tension between their mothers are surfacing since investigators reported Cook-Morrissey's parents weren't fully cooperating with the search. NBC's John Yang reports.
Twelve days after two young Iowa cousins vanished, the mother of one of the girls is asking authorities -- and her family -- to move on from their focus on her.
Misty Cook-Morrissey said a state agent asked during Monday's polygraph whether she had anything to do with the abduction of her daughter, 10-year-old Lyric Cook-Morrissey, and niece, 8-year-old Elizabeth Collins. She said she was asked whether she knows where they are and if she could take investigators to them, adding she answered "no" to all those questions.
The polygraph was the second test authorities had her take.
"It went well," Cook-Morrissey told The Associated Press in a phone interview. "They can rule me out of their book and move on to something else."
The polygraph came a week after authorities said Cook-Morrissey and her husband weren't cooperating. In a news briefing on Monday, Black Hawk County Chief Deputy Rick Abben declined comment on Cook-Morrissey's polygraph test but said investigators were getting better cooperation from her and her husband.
The girls were last seen heading out on a bike ride on July 13 in Evansdale, a town of 4,700 in northeast Iowa. After combing the area and draining a nearby lake, authorities announced they felt the disappearance was an abduction, and said on Saturday they thought the girls were still alive.
Both Cook-Morrissey and her husband have spent time in prison on drug charges, NBC's John Yang reported Tuesday on TODAY, but Cook-Morrissey she said that had nothing to do with the girls' disappearance.
Elizabeth's mom, Heather Collins, said her relationship with her sister, Cook-Morrissey, has been splintering amid investigators' recent statements that Cook-Morrissey wasn't fully cooperative.
"Even though we would like to be as one family, it has made it to be two separate families," Heather Collins said of her sister, Misty, Lyric's mom.
There is a $50,000 reward for the girls' safe return. FBI spokeswoman Sandy Breault said Monday that investigators want to interview a person who was paddleboating on the lake around the time the girls disappeared. She said that person, who has not voluntarily come forward, could help investigators learn what happened to the girls but was not considered a suspect.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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Law enforcement never looks at just one suspect. They look at all possibilities and if they are still looking at her, they must have a reason.
Didn't we learn anything from Casey Anthony?? We all wrongly condemmed that poor mother and she turned out to be innocent.
@Viv - really? you think Casey Anthony was innocent? You are among the minority! Most people feel it was like OJ ; she got away with murder....
Because the husband and wife spent time in prison the cops believe that the parents were involved in the disappearance.
Big difference between "Innocent" and "Not Guilty". The jury ruled Not Guilty. I'm not saying she is or is not innocent but the jury doesn't make that determination either.
Vivian, you have got to be kidding me. There simply wasn't enough hard evidence to commit her under criminal laws. When you kill your daughter and the police don't find the corpse for that long, there is very little evidence left. But her story changed a million times, she lied to every single person, and was going out partying like a baccalaureate. At the verly least, if she purposefully killed her daughter, or it was accidental, she was definitely involved. Just because our system fails from time to time doesn't mean she won't have her judgement date with God. That chick is evil.
Blake:
bac·ca·lau·re·ate/ˌbakəˈlôrēit/
Noun:
LOL
I will say only this: If my daughter or son...or both were to come up missing and I had nothing to do with it and only wanted to see my kids be safely returned, I would do everything in the world to help the police and others find them...end of story.
isto321- LOL , stupid auto correct!
Vivian is a troll. Always throws out Skanky Anthony as innocent.
Vivian : Casey Anthony Innocent!!!!!!!!!! give me a break? she s lucky to be out free.. jury were the worse jury of this century.
RwEvans - this story doesn't say that the mother hasn't been completely cooperative. If my son came up missing and I had taken 2 lie detector tests and knew I was innocent, I would want them to start looking for the person that actually committed the crime too.
Vivian... obviously is a prime candidate for a head transplant.
It was "some puerto-rican guy".
@baliman- HAHAHAHAHA!!! My favorite comment of the day! Well done sir!
Oh Vivian, tich tich. Please can't we focus on Prayer and Positive thoughts for the safe return of these two little girls. Parents often quit cooperating when the Police get to focused on them even when they are NOT guilty. Sadly the perp is usually someone the child knows and family is the first suspect. How freaking sad is that? We really all need to focus on Prayer if you believe and positive thoughts of the girls coming home if you are agnostic or whatever. Please lets not play the blame game.
Susan Smith was very cooperative with the police...just saying!
I'm tellin' ya, this will turn out to be a drug deal gone bad.
Anyone remember that missing Kansas City baby from a few months ago. case got cold and it doesnt mean the parents are not involved.
LOOK... kids and people just don't GO missing unless they want to, get lost in the woods and wanna play survivorman or are dead. PERIOD. Someone is covering something
The shortest distance, for many LEO's, is between a victim and a conviction. While there are some parents who would kill their own children, too many are blamed initially, wasting time and resources... look at the kidnappings of the Lindbergh baby all the way up to Natalie Holloway.
An emotionally upset parent is an easy target for an overzealous LEO, whether the local police or the FBI. In trying to do or say anything to get their children back, the parents may say something which does not "sound right" to the LEO. Add into the mix a prior record of a drug conviction and you have a formula for official overreaching.
I hope these girls are found, but as more information come out and more time goes on, you begin to fear that what has happened is they were kidnapped and sold off to the child porn market, very likely for drug money.
In either case, I hope I am wrong. I hope the children are found and are oK. I hope the parents didn't have anything to do with their disappearance. I hope it all turns out to be that they decided to "run away" for a while because they became upset with their mothers... that would be the ultimate.
Don't let her fool ya. Vivian is Casey Anthony!!!
Vivian,
Ignore baliman's comment. The proctologist called. They found your head.
Denver Bill 2 wins.
Seriously though, what did the parents expect? They're ex-cons. What were they thinking when they were being investigated. The lack of cooperation didn't help either. If it was my kid? I'd be cooperative, because I'd want my damn kids back.
Denver Bill - best one yet
One paragraph says Heather is Lyric's mom and the next paragraph says Misty is Lyric's mom. ?
ginny.. thats modern day reporting for you. lazy and careless
It's common knowledge all news media can only be relied upon to deliver a tiny grain of truth.
The rest is either biased propaganda, inaccurate or gossip. It's up to us to find our own truths.
Police and social worker have a horrible way of coming between families "divide and conquer" at a time when this family should be together. Do they have proof that this family did anything to these little girls? What has happen to innocent until proven guilty? They are doing an other "Jon Benet" and that's not right! Haven't they learn anything! Let the parent feel the pain and fear without adding the horror of knowing they are being looked at by the police!
The police are the criminals at this point for doing this to this families!
yes you nailed it. Take the kids away to god knows where and under what conditions.
umm..what? so you think that when a child goes missing they shouldn't look at the families. over 90% of child abductions are committed by a known person to the child a.k.a parent. if they didn't do anything they have zero reason to worry. so let the police do their job and we will see what happens when the facts come out.
Law enforcement usually works in a circular outward motion starting with family, then moving to friends and so forth. This is because most of the time the suspect is someone known to the victim. That's not to say that this couldn't be a random abduction.
Wow, are you naive. The cops get easily confused about whether a case should fit the evidence of the evidence fit the case.
They ask the question "are you still beating your wife?" and it elicits a response either way. The cops can then use it to make the case they want. "Yes" means that you beat her to death and "no" means that you used to beat her and are just denying that you beat her this time - which resulted in her death.
Why why why do they focus on the family.....let me see....BECAUSE A MAJORITY OF THE TIME A FAMILY MEMBER IS THE CULPRIT!
Jessica, the police aren't there to bring big warms hugs, cards, and casseroles. That's what friends and family are for. They are trying to find the missing children.
Well said, Granny!
Not to mention, if that were my sister, I wouldn't want my children around that drugged up family.
Anytime CPS is involved you are guilty until proven guilty. Whoops I mean innocent.
My guess the druggie mother sold the 2 girls into prostitution. She had a debt to pay.
i'm gonna tune into nancy grace tonight.....she'll get to the bottom of this! thats just good accurate law reporting....lol...lol...lol..lol
Yes, i say put the parents in front of nancy grace for 2 hours. That amount of nagging is sure to make anyone confess.
Jessica, if divide and conquer gets the job done, then by all mean, divide and conquer my family to find my child.
If they had nothing to do with it and took two polygraph tests then if I was them I would not do anything else to help the police mark me off their list. If you know you are innocent and the police are still focusing on you then you had better stop talking to them and get a lawyer before you find yourself in prison for something you did not do. Only a very naive person thinks that the police are your friend when they are looking at you as a possible suspect. Be very leery. It's just prudent to protect yourself and your family. Many people are in jail because of circumstantial evidence!
Law enforcement always considers the family as prime suspects. And they always put out to the media that the family "isn't cooperating" unless the suspects tell them what they want to hear or the family refuses to submit to polygraph testing. The reason for the second test is because the first test "proved" that the family was being honest. If the test resulted in "inconclusive" or "dishonest" the police wouldn't have asked for a second test - the first test would have been accurate and they would have released that info to the media.
People should never submit to a polygraph test administered by the police dept. They should opt for an independent polygrapher. The way a question is phrased can make a difference in how much of a reaction is generated.
@the thinker ... you are truly an idiot, you know that. You have tried to make your rant sound like something someone with a brain ought to listen seriously to ... you are so full of crap I'll bet even your eyes are brown.
If I was a Chief of Police and my Investigators didn't start any case of this type with the family, they'd be out working parking meters by the end of the day. I sure hope that anyone who reads your comments doesn't take them seriously ... "don't take a polygraph" ... that is sound advice from a moron. Why would you not cooperate ... oh wait, that would be so that you have something to bitch about one more time, and you think deflect the suspicion from you. Yep, that'll do that all right.
For the rest of you just remember that "free legal advice is worth exactly what you pay for it!" This is a @!$%#-house lawyer, or a troll whichever name you prefer.
Why is this same story, already mentioned in part in an earlier report, now a NEW news story? Its as if the writer is spreading gossip. Are you trying to have people form an opinion of this woman?
YES!
@TFNJ - I thought the same thing after reading it.....what's NEW? I am usually in alignment with your posts and here is a perfect example.
LOL thanks Sam. I felt like I was looking at a "did you hear?" post on Facebook.
TFNJ, Why yes, yes they are! Good eye. So how bout we all focus on the safe return of the children! That will fix em!
I wouldn't be surprised if the girls were used to pay off some drug debt. If I were investigating this case, I'd keep part of my focus on Misty as well. I don't think the parents' criminal activity is limited to drugs. But certainly I would not limit my focus there.
What information do you have? Have you informed the police?
Thank You Jo-an, I believe all these people who have iron clad information should run not walk to the Police and let them know! Physic? Police listen to Physic's. If you do not have facts or proof lets concentrate on the girls safe return.
Did you mean psychic?
so much BS just over a drug charge , anyone know what it involved , like maybe they got popped for smoking a joint in a parking lot 5 or 10 years ago , that's what they call , GETTING THE SHAFT OVER BS .
DON'T CONDEMN BEFORE THEIRS PROOF .
What law enforcement means when they say they aren't cooperating they are saying thew family won't confess and make the cops job easier...if cops were breathing down my neck I sure in hell wouldn't 'cooperate' either...
Really? Even with your child's life at stake? Nice priorites.
Sad news indeed. This looks like a Casey Anthony repeat...drugs, partying, poor (or no) care of the kids...
It almost wants you to make people get a license to have kids - just like for Drivers License.
A prospective mother (and father) has to take classes, pass exam and perhaps get a background check for drugs.
What would prevent anyone from abusing their kids and killing them just by going to classes and getting a license. If you have a drivers license that doesn't prevent people form texting while driving, talking on the phones or driving drunk. Anyone can pass a test. So you're also saying that some kid in high school say 17 years old got busted for marijuana he/she should be prohibited from being a parent later in life because of a bad choice at a young age??????
Montego: If you make parents take a pre parent test, you may as well have everyone take a pre-sex test. Happy now? That's what it would boil down to. Reality check time. Idiots breed and drug addicts breed and usually the system usually fails the resulting children.
Brenda-1146978
I agree, completely... How about educating our youth? Encouraging birth control?
True, as well...
Sadly, we don't know that these parents are involved in the kids disappearance, and we aren't their judges.
Clearly you haven't been reading up on this case at all. The girls' whereabouts, as well as the parents' at the time of their disappearance, has been well documented and supported. They may be leaning into the parents to find out if they KNOW anything, but that doesn't mean they actually DID anything to the girls. In fact, the only thing they have working against them is their past...they cooperated fully and completely until they grew tired of being the focus of an investigation that they knew was going in the wrong direction. They haven't spouted a bunch of nonsense lies like Casey Anthony did.
Certainly they've made some stupid choices and could have been much better parents to their daughter, but that doesn't make them killers.
Does she want law enforcement to move on for selfish reasons, or does she want them to move on because she knows she is innocent and wants the energy to be used to find the kids. That is the question. It seems gravely suspicious that there was the slightest bit of problem with her cooperation in the first place.
If your child disappeared, and you had nothing to do with it, would you not be frustrated that the initial focus seemed to only be on you and not looking at other possibilities as well? I'm not saying the police were or weren't - I don't know that information, but if the information being given to the mom indicates that she and her husband were the only leads, would you not get upset? I know I sure would and very well may refuse to cooperate until they agreed to start investigating other options as well, or let me know that they were.
There wasn't a problem with her cooperation "in the first place," - it was many days of interrogations that were going nowhere that led her to contact a lawyer. I may or may not have done the same thing, but I don't believe it should indicate she has something to hide. There continues to be no evidence to suggest that she is involved in the girls' disappearance.
Sorry, no can do. It's always those closest to the victim that the police look at first than go from there.
The husbands know exactly what went down.
taken into evidence: the pussy pass.
they are given to females based solely upon their gender.
what a just land we DON'T live in.
men wish it was that simple for them - cry a little bit and ta-da - you're free.
So, are you saying the 100,00+ inmates at women's prisons are actually men? Since women are never convicted of anything? And you are actually referring to a woman who has actually (according to the article) spent time in prison? Biased much?
I didn't think both families were involved with dealing drugs.
She always struck me as suspicious -- never seemed too upset that her daughter was missing.
Where is the information about the OTHER cousin's parents? I realize this woman and her ex-husband spent TEN years in jail and the grandma and other family members raised her, but I just have never read anything about the other little girl's relatives, etc.
Wow. This "mother" just can't keep her mouth shut. The more she blabs...the more I think she's guilty of something in this case. This methed-up couple should never have procreated!
Look the facts are these: Blackhawk County Iowa is full of inept police and a sheriff's department that couldn't find a untied shoe! These poor girls are being looked for by the Keystone Cops! They are ignorant and protecting kids is a rampent FAILURE in IOWA! Look at the statistics, even from Iowa State University and the University of Iowa! Iowa places 26 percent of all kids in Divorce with Drug Addicts or Alcoholic abusers! In addition, the state's kids in single family households are 8 times as likely as the National average to be abused! That is right, you read it right! 8 TIMES AS LIKELY TO BE ABUSED! It is Absurd to assume the police will solve this crime or even the crime of who tipped the cow! Please someone somehow involve the FBI as the lead agency and get the KEYSTONE COPS out of it!
Have you been reading the newspaper or listening to the news for the last week Don-1008454. The FBI has been here since last week.
I live in BlackHawk county. The way the "parents" are acting is abnormal at best. Currently the working theory is this has something to do with their massive amount of drug debt, and that the children have been taken for ransom.
My gut tells me the parents are not innocent in this.
Chris I think your on to something! They may not be actively involved but their actions I believe have contributed to this tragedy. Why are the kids with these dysfunctional family members anyway???
as always in these cases I try and ask the question What do I know? not what do I assume from the text but what do I actually know. And all I know is that the children are missing, the parents have some drug history and that they passed a lie detector.
Other facts that have nothing to do with the people involved. Most abductions are made by family or close friends of the family.
So with those facts and only those facts I do not blame the police for looking at the family, but unless they have other evidence that I don't know about then they should move on from parents to other people close to the family.
As for the family being uncooperative, who are we to judge how people react understress, it's easy to say well i'd do this or that but until you are in that position you can not say. The parents may be guilty in this, but until we know we should NOT assume that they are.
Another fact is the mother is asking the family and police to stop focusing on finding her daughter. As in, she doesn't want them to make finding her missing child a priority. That alone makes her look guilty. In my opinion, not a fact at all, even if the police are harassing the me I would speak out about that and not ask them to stop actively looking for my child.
The two parents look suspicous right from the start. I watched the "father" His body language looks suspicous. but ,I don't buy the whole story of the lake bull@!$%#. Looks like they put those bikes down by the lake to throw off the law enforcement. Here is one scenario. They were assulted or "kidnapped" by other low life family members. or other drug friends who the "fathter" owed money to. We were down this road before ,As a law enforcement officer now retired . I have like a sixth sense on these stories. The Grandmother looks like she's from another planet. The whole crew ,Family looks like no one would kidnap these kids from these people. unless they owed money on drugs. I would not buy that story. So now their not cooperating .Something bad went down ,maybe the night before this bullhsit story near the lake. These kids would not jump in the lake with their clothes and shoes .thats why the media has left this story. I think the media knows this is a bull@!$%# story.
Vivian, are you for real? The jury bungled the verdict. Casey Anthony is guilty just like the a hole OJ who is in prison.
Put the mother and father in jail and keep them there until they spill the beans.
they did not bungle the verdict. the evidence did not support a conviction. the body had decayed to the point to where they could not determine cause of death. the only people talking were the ones who knew what happened. whether they were lying or not could not be proved, they stuck to their stories. had the little girl been able to speak I am sure she would have told a different story.
What, the first test wasn't enough to determine her innocence? Or are the investigators too lazy or narrow minded to look for someone else? I wonder how many innocent parents are serving time because police want to solve a case too quickly and use dirty evidence just to clear the desk?
If they are found to be guilty give them a swift trial and then execute them. Show no mercy.
iowa does not have the death penalty.
Well mom when you deal drugs you bring some of the vilest people into your lives so of course the police have to look at you and your husband. How's his polygraph coming, you both need to worry less about protecting yourselves and more about doing anything asked of you to find these girls. As far as CA she did beat a murder conviction but she and her scumbag lawyer and most of America know she did it, just because 12 of the stupidist people gathered in one room at the same time said not guilty doesn't mean she is innocent, she had a nasty lawyer that looked at what he could get out of defending a child killer and told lies he didn't have to back up to get her off.
Did the mother "cross her heart" when she told the police she was not involved?