Family proposing statewide “Hellen’s Law” for missing persons

After four weeks of searching, the body of missing Benton County woman was found in an area that had been previously searched.

Now Hellen Cook’s family says it will take up a push for changes to state law.

Kansas City affiliate WDAF reported Friday the family made the announcement at a Blue Springs memorial for the 72-year-old.

“There are some people who are missing who can’t take care of themselves, and my mother is one of those. Toddlers would be one of those,” Hellen’s daughter Terri told WDAF.

Part of Hellen’s Law would establish a standard procedure for missing persons cases, including a checklist for law enforcement and a list of statewide resources.

A St. Louis search team was brought in after four weeks and ultimately found Cook’s body.

“When you get in the early stages of trying to find a missing person, you do a lot of things, but you might not do the right things,” Howard Cook told WDAF.

Hellen Cook suffered from Alzheimers and went missing from a family campsite in July.

Cook’s body was found on Sunday, August 11 near where investigators had found her shoes and some clothing by a Warsaw pond.

The Cook family was scheduled to meet with two state representatives this weekend to start the push for the law.