Virginia Mom Who Went Missing with 3 Kids Is 5 Months Pregnant, Says Her ‘Worried’ Mother (Exclusive)

Family members are worried for the safety of Virginia mom Lauren Cook and her three children after they were reported missing more than two weeks ago — especially because Cook is five months pregnant, her mother tells The Messenger.

“I just want her to know we love her. We're worried about her welfare, and the welfare of her three children and her unborn child,” Lisa Tousa said.

Cook, 30, who lives in Virginia, and her three children — Benjamin, 7, Hannah, 5, and Elijah, 2 — have not been heard from since Sept. 5.

Police said Wednesday they located Cook half way across the country in Illinois but have not been able to make contact with the missing mom and kids.

Tousa told The Messenger that it's totally out of character for her pregnant daughter to vanish abruptly and to stay out of touch.

She said it's causing a lot of concern for much of her family.

Cook's husband, however, has disputed his wife and their kids' disappearance.

"Contrary to what has been reported, my wife and children are not 'missing.’ I have no reason to be concerned about their safety or well-being," Jordan Cook told ABC13. "I have heard from my wife, and I'm sure she and my children are doing well."

Tousa did not comment on the relationship between her daughter and her son-in-law, but said she has talked to Jordan since her daughter disappeared. 

But Tousa is not the only one concerned about Cook and the three kids.

The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) also joined the search to help find Cook and her children.

“The situation is concerning. We know situations can change quickly. You have to treat the situation as critical," Rebecca Steinbach, spokesperson for NCMEC, told the Messenger.

“When you have multiple children missing with the parent and info being received is that no one has had contact with them, that is concerning," Steinbach added. "Our objective is to ensure that the kids are safe.”

The Franklin County Sheriff’s Office in Virginia said it launched a missing persons investigation on Sept. 13, after Cook failed to appear for a scheduled court appearance in the Franklin County Juvenile & Domestic Relations Court.

It was the second time Cook missed an appearance in court. She was previously expected on Sept. 5th. It is unclear what the court appearance was regarding.

Cook's family told law enforcement they lost contact with her and the children after she told them she was in New York visiting family, according to the sheriff’s office.

Tousa, who lives in North Carolina, said the police in Virginia have been keeping her informed of developments. 

“I am working with police and I have faith in their ability to find my daughter and my grandchildren, including my unborn grandchild," she said.

According to the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office, investigators were able to track the mother and children down in Litchfield, Ill. on Sept. 14, but were unable to make contact with her.

Sergeant Megan Huston of the sheriff's office told The Messenger the department is "not sure if they are still there or not."

The office is "making every effort to contact and locate her and the kids to clear them from missing persons," Huston added.

“To clear Lauren and her children from being 'missing persons,' a law enforcement agency must make in-person contact with them in order to confirm that they are okay and not under duress," the sheriff's office said in a statement. "Until then, they will remain in local and national databases as 'missing.'"