Authorities are suspecting foul play after two Kansas mothers, Veronica Butler and Jilian Kelley, disappeared while traveling in Oklahoma. The car they were driving was found abandoned in a remote area of the Sooner state’s panhandle, raising serious concerns about their safety.
Butler, 27, and Kelley, 39, went missing in a rural part of Texas County, near Highway 95 and Road L, as reported by the Oklahoma State Bureau. Investigators, after a thorough analysis of the circumstances surrounding their disappearance, have now revealed evidence indicating foul play.
The two mothers were on a journey to pick up Butler’s 6-year-old daughter and 8-year-old son, who were residing with her ex-mother-in-law in Eva, Oklahoma. However, when they failed to arrive to collect the children, Butler’s ex-husband discovered their car abandoned on the side of the road near a school where Butler had graduated from in 2015.
Kelley, a mother of four herself, was believed to be accompanying Butler to assist her with a custody issue, according to sources familiar with the matter.
Strangely, the Yarbrough School, near where the women disappeared and where Butler had graduated from, initiated a lockdown status on Tuesday, adding to the mysterious circumstances surrounding their disappearance.
The Texas County Sheriff’s Department issued an Endangered Missing Advisory for both mothers, who were described as acquaintances rather than close friends. Kelley, the wife of a preacher and the secretary of a local church, was actively involved in volunteer work, including running children’s programs at the church.
Heath Kelley, Jilian Kelley’s husband and the former pastor of Hugoton, has appealed to the community to continue spreading awareness about the disappearance and to pray for the safe return of both women.
Investigators are continuing their efforts to gather information and locate Butler and Kelley. Despite the lack of arrests at this time, authorities emphasize that there is every reason to believe that the women could be in danger, especially considering the remote rural area where their vehicle was found abandoned.
Friends and family members of Butler and Kelley are desperately hoping for their safe return but acknowledge the challenges of finding missing persons after the crucial first 24-48 hours have passed.
The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation urges anyone with information about the whereabouts of Veronica Butler and Jilian Kelley to come forward and assist in the ongoing investigation. Contact Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation by phone at 1-800-522-8017 or via email at tips@osbi.ok.gov for tips or information, emphasizing the importance of community cooperation in resolving this distressing case.