Hunters Find Two Bodies in Iowa: Missing Cousins Lyric Cook and Elizabeth Collins Discovered? Community Mourns Tragedy

Reports confirm that hunters found two bodies in the woods of Iowa on Wednesday (Dec. 5) now thought to be young missing cousins Lyric Cook (9) and Elizabeth Collins (11) who both disappeared after going for a bike ride back in July. The bodies were discovered in an unidentified wooded area and the remains have been sent to the state medical examiner's office for further identification.  Black Hawk County Sheriff's Captain Rick Abben confirms that the families have been notified of the discovery and are currently asking for privacy during this time of tragedy.

The young girls first went missing on July 13 near a popular recreational lake in Evansdale. Investigators later found their bikes and a pink purse near the lake, with the girls nowhere in sight. Hundreds of volunteers spent months combining the woods and cornfields around the Evansdale area looking for the girls with no luck. The mayor even flew out on his private helicopter to search for them, and a special FBI dive team combined the bottom of the lake - nothing provided any clues to the girls' disappearance. Police then classified their case an abduction.

Although many people had lost home, some investigators insisted that the girls were most likely still alive somewhere. Law enforcement asked hunters to comb for the girls' bodies throughout the region for the fall's popular hunting season.

Abben confirms that the bodies were discovered around 12:45 p.m. on Wednesday. Although no details were given, he said the area is continuing to be processed as a crime scene and could not be compromised. Abben hopes to release more information on Thursday, but for now, "Preservation of that scene is paramount."

Abben continued with, "It's definitely not the outcome that we wanted, obviously. This is a difficult thing for us to go through. It's a difficult thing for the community."

Over the past five months, investigators have followed up on thousands of different tips and theories as to what happened to young Cook and Collins. Cook's parents were even investigated because they both have prior criminal records involving methamphetamine (the father Daniel Morrissey is currently being prosecuted for domestic assault and a series of meth and other drug-related charges). Morrissey backed out of a plea agreement with prosecutors the day before the children's' disappearance - the parents deny having any involvement with the abduction.

Along with the thorough search/rescue missions, volunteers throughout the community helded several vigils, praying for the safe return of Cook and Collins. An anonymous donor pledged $100,000 for information about the girls' whereabouts just last week - police already had a $50,000 award out.

A vigil was held Wednesday evening after the heartbreaking news that hunters discovered two small bodies, most likely the remains of Cook and Collins. Family friend Sarah Curl said through tears, "We're a tight community that cares about one another, and when something happens to one family it happens to all of our families. This could have happened to anyone."

Thoughts and condolences go out to the Cook and Collins family and friends and the entire Evansdale community during this tragic time.