Husband of missing Columbia woman arrested on possible child abuse charge
UPDATE 9:15 P.M.: A spokesman for Columbia told ABC 17 News Friday night that Joseph D. Elledge, 23, of Columbia, was arrested by police on abuse or neglect of a child.
He is the husband of Mengqi Elledge.
ABC 17 News was told police found evidence of child abuse while officers searched for Mengqi.
ABC 17 News asked the city if Joseph D. Elledge was a suspect in the disappearance of Mengqi Elledge, but city spokesman Steve Sapp said the city could not release any further information since it is an ongoing investigation.
At last check, the Boone County Prosecutor’s Office hadn’t filed charges against Joseph.
ORIGINAL STORY: The Columbia Police Department announced Friday afternoon that it opened a criminal investigation into the disappearance of a Chinese woman.
Police said their efforts to find Mengqi J. Elledge, 28, of Columbia, led detectives to believe foul play had a role in her disappearance.
Elledge was reported missing Oct. 9.
Investigators said she was last seen at her home in the 2600 block of Eastwood Drive in Columbia on the night of Oct. 8.
According to the Police Department, her husband told investigators she was gone when he woke up the next morning.
Police describe Elledge as:
Brown eyes
Black shoulder-length hair
5 feet , 1 inch to 5 feet , 3 inches tall
Weighs around 105 pounds
Anyone with information about Elledge is asked to call the Columbia Police Department at 573-874-7652.
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