Runner missing in NC...

[DB in NJ]

I just saw on Fox News that a NC mom of 2 who went running on Saturday is missing.

 

Her husband said that she didn't ever take anything with her; no cell phone, no id, not even a bottle of water. Just a piece of gum, and out the door she went.

 

In addition to praying for her and her family, I have a question for fellow runners: do you take your cell phone with you when you run? Do you run trails? One of her routes was a trail through some woods, according to her dh.

 

Do you feel safe where you run? I do, but I take my cell with me, and I don't run on trails in the woods.

 

So sad....

[Night Elf]

Oh that's sad. I hope she's found alive. I am not a runner but I did used to enjoy walking the trail around our local park. I no longer do that without my DH. I don't feel safe if I'm alone or with the kids, no matter what time of day it is. I live in the area where Gary Michael Hilton kidnapped a woman earlier this year. I will never, never walk alone again.

[tinag]

I always take my cellphone with me. I also try to run or walk with my kids or sister.

[Dayle in Guatemala]

That is a lot of women recently in NC, isn't it? They found the body of that missing soldier yesterday too. It's just so sad.

[JudoMom]

How sad.

 

Safety is most of the reason I run on a treadmill. I know the chances of something happening to me are very, very slim but I just don't feel comfortable walking or jogging alone. I used to walk the neighborhood alone and I took my dogs along. However, it seems people in my neighborhood don't tend to keep their dogs locked up so I would get strange, unrestrained dogs charging and barking at us at a few houses (the dogs were smaller than my dogs, but still...). So while I know in my head that I'm almost guaranteed to be safe, because of my emotions (I become hyper-aware and jumpy) I just can't enjoy walking or running outside alone.

[Makita]

I take my cell phone on my long runs generally. I run on trails (when not encumbered by the jogging stroller) and roads (most frequently). The trail I run on most frequently is along the river in town. The population is very active and I see anywhere from 2 - 12 other runners on the trail at any given time. Many people also walk the trail with their dog there. I feel very safe.

However, if I run on the trails outside of town (which is rare), I would run with a buddy.

 

I have considered borrowing a neighbor's dog but haven't yet. This occurrance may encourage me to do so.

[Jennifer in MI]

Wow. That really is sad. I never run with my cell phone. But, I live in a neighborhood where there are ALWAYS runners, walkers, dog walkers, etc out. We don't have wooded trails.

[3lilreds in NC]

There were posters up for her at my church yesterday and we prayed for her. It's so hard to believe this kind of stuff can happen, you know? Too close to home for comfort. It's so easy to believe we live in Shiny Happy Land around here.

[Doran]

Stories like these make my stomach hurt. I despise the cruelty in this world, and that's where my head goes the instant I read something like this.

 

I'm not a runner, but when I walk I try to vary the times I go and the route I take (more the former than the latter). I also walk in neighborhoods and I make a point of turning my head to look around, to take in my surroundings, often. As it happens, I also live in a fairly small, relatively safe town, though I know that's no guarantee.

 

It's funny. Just yesterday my dd and I were talking about the fact that cell phones have a locator feature. Having owned a cell phone only about half a year, I had no idea this was possible. Seems a good reason to carry your phone with you when you go out to run, and set it to automatic locator during that time.

[DB in NJ]

Stories like these make my stomach hurt. I despise the cruelty in this world, and that's where my head goes the instant I read something like this.

 

I'm not a runner, but when I walk I try to vary the times I go and the route I take (more the former than the latter). I also walk in neighborhoods and I make a point of turning my head to look around, to take in my surroundings, often. As it happens, I also live in a fairly small, relatively safe town, though I know that's no guarantee.

 

It's funny. Just yesterday my dd and I were talking about the fact that cell phones have a locator feature. Having owned a cell phone only about half a year, I had no idea this was possible. Seems a good reason to carry your phone with you when you go out to run, and set it to automatic locator during that time.

 

 

automatic locator? I never knew....Is this a feature on newer phones only, I wonder? I'll need to check it out.

 

Thanks, Doran. That's really good info!

[Old Dominion Heather]

I don't take anything with me, but I run in our city, on the sidewalk of a pretty busy street in a pretty nice neighborhood. I don't run at night and try not to run at dusk.

 

Although, what am I saying? I haven't actually "run" since the D&C. I need to get going again.

[Colleen]

I just saw on Fox News that a NC mom of 2 who went running on Saturday is missing.

 

Oh, dear. I'm feeling somewhat down and reading this first thing in the morning just...sigh. How disturbing.

 

I have a question for fellow runners: do you take your cell phone with you when you run? Do you run trails?...Do you feel safe where you run?

 

I don't own a cell phone, and I virtually never take my husband's phone with me. Most of the time, for better or for worse, I have to run around the streets in town here, where I feel totally safe. It gets dreadfully boring, and running on pavement/concrete is a killer, but it's what's available. My short runs from home include a stretch along the river, where a dirt road runs on the neighboring farm's property. No real worries there for me.

 

When I have the chance, I run in the bigger city just down the road. Even then, I feel pretty safe unless I go some distance on the trails. Most of the runners who live in the city are big into trail running. I envy them, on the one hand, because there are some awesome trails. On the other, I prefer to run alone, and I honestly would not feel comfortable going alone on many of those routes. Taking a cell phone wouldn't make me feel any better. Someone jumps me and I'm going to ask, "Hey, mind if I make a call first?":tongue_smilie: I'd likely only do the more off-the-beaten path trails with others. Even the "beaten path" trail can feel a bit eerie to me if I'm on it all alone for a stretch.

 

I hate that we even have to think about it.:( Please keep us posted about the missing woman. Maybe...I dunno. Maybe it'll turn out okay. A few months ago a woman here was attacked while running alone...Or so she said. Turned out she fabricated the story. So maddening.

[momofkhm]

I live about 15 minutes from where she does. But since she didn't take her car, she would not have been where I run. I was surprised to see the flyer.

 

I run on trails near my house with my dog. I feel safe when run, even without him. I do take him in part for safety. He's a big pushover, but I think people think twice or even three times before they'll attack someone with a dog - especially a big dog. I also take my dog with me for his exercise.

[Perry]

I don't run, but we do a lot of biking on trails. I always have my cell phone, but more importantly, I always have pepper spray handy. I worry more about crazy dogs than crazy people though.

[MomofSeven]

That's when I take my cell phone with 911 dialed up and ready to send. But lately, I've been running on my treadmill where I don't have to worry.

[Doran]

automatic locator? I never knew....Is this a feature on newer phones only, I wonder? I'll need to check it out.

 

Thanks, Doran. That's really good info!

 

I'm really not sure. It seems possible that it would not be an option on older phones. I went first to Google to see what I could find out -- not being at all sure my dd was correct in her understanding of this feature. I found this article which is from Sept. of 2005. Good points in it, I thought. Then, I dug up my User's Guide for my phone and read what it had to say. I have a Motorola W385. Not the fanciest phone, I guess, but it has all the bells and whistles I'll ever need. Our phones have an AGPS (automatic global positioning system) feature which sends satellite signals to tell the network where you're physically located at all times when set to ON. But, you can also set it to 911 Only, which means you have to physically make the call to the emergency phone number before it will track you.

 

Cool, huh?

[Angela in GA]

This is so sad. I rarely take my cell phone when I'm walking, because I don't like having to carry anything. I suppose I should think twice about that though.

[Debbie in OR]

Wow, that is disturbing...I pray she is found ok.

 

I do run on trails...fairly isolated but they are well-used so I know eventually someone will be out there. I do get a bit concerned when I go on longer runs (over 4 miles) as that takes me way far back in the woods and there are homeless people who occasionally live out there. My main concern is running into wild animals if I'm the first one on the trails. There have been cougars and coyotes pretty close around. I don't take my cell or mace, although I have both, but I do take my dog. I don't run with an Ipod so I can hear what's going on around me.

 

I am very curious about that locator service on cell phones, however. Will find out about that.

[Plucky]

This is so sad. It makes me so angry that we are left to feel like we cannot walk or run alone.

[dirty ethel rackham]

How sad. I hope they find her.

 

I walk, not run. However, I always bring my cell phone with me plus ID. I don't go anywhere where I wouldn't feel safe (my neighborhood when I am alone or a trail when I am with my workout partner.) My biggest issues are 1 - my kids need me or 2. if I were to become injured or hit by a car. I knew of a woman who went for a run, but didn't return for hours. Her family went out to look for her. She had been killed by a hit and run. Since she didn't have any ID, no one knew who to call.

[Brindee]

How sad.

 

Safety is most of the reason I run on a treadmill. I know the chances of something happening to me are very, very slim but I just don't feel comfortable walking or jogging alone. I used to walk the neighborhood alone and I took my dogs along. However, it seems people in my neighborhood don't tend to keep their dogs locked up so I would get strange, unrestrained dogs charging and barking at us at a few houses (the dogs were smaller than my dogs, but still...). So while I know in my head that I'm almost guaranteed to be safe, because of my emotions (I become hyper-aware and jumpy) I just can't enjoy walking or running outside alone.

Same with me! I mostly exercise on my treadmill because of it.:glare:

[lynn]

I don't carry my cell phone. I run in my neighborhood and people are always coming and going. There are no through streets so no one can easily grab and take off. I do run up to a near by neighborhood but I run past lots of houses first and again it's suburbia so people are everywhere.

[Laurie4b]

I don't run, but I walk trails in the woods. I take a cell and my kids and the dog. The cell is in case anything happens and we need help. The "gang" is to prevent attack in an isolated place. (Usually we see 1-2 other people or groups--not enough to deter a bad guy.

[Krista in LA]

I was so sad to hear about it this morning. It made me really think about what would my kids do if something had happened to me on my jog while dh was out of town for a few days. I don't carry a cell phone with me, but I will reconsider it now. I know that my phone has GPS on it. Since I'm not running long distances yet, I run the track at our local school. When I stop running at the school, I might consider carrying something for protection as well.

[Bev in B'ville]

right smack in the middle of the hunting capitol for wild boars. Between hunters who wander onto our property, wild boars, bobcats, and wild dogs I don't go out with or without kids without protection. I always have a knife strapped to my waist under my shirt (think Rambo's knife here). I also have my cell phone with me in case I get chased up a tree so I can call the calvary (think dc with heavy bore rifles here). Running here is always an adventure and sometimes running means sprinting (away from something), but it's always good exercise and never dull.

[Caroline]

I don't carry a cell phone when I run. There are always lots of people around because I live in suburbia, land of the walking/jogging for exercise. I see some of the same people most mornngs, and I wonder about them if I miss them. And for those who remember unfriendly me from the talking to strangers thread, I do say hi to people when I am running. Or, "Excuse me. Coming up on your left." Is that the right thing to do?

[unsinkable]

I hate these types of stories. They make me want to sob.

 

What do you pray for?

 

That the mom just took off?

 

That the mom is in a diabetic coma?

 

That the mom was killed by a stranger?

 

That the mom was killed by someone she knows?

 

There are no good outcomes. There is only bad, worse, horrendous...

 

I hate these stories. One of the articles said the husband said there were marital issues.

[Plucky]

It is horrible. It seems like all the women disappearing or being murdered lately have been by their husbands. *shudder*

[DB in NJ]

Oh, Lord....

 

They found a body. Not confirming whether it was her or not. The body was found floating in a pond at 7:30 tonight...

[Plucky]

Oh, Lord....

 

They found a body. Not confirming whether it was her or not. The body was found floating in a pond at 7:30 tonight...

 

Oh, no! Thanks for posting this. Off to google.

[Quiver0f10]

Oh, Lord....

 

They found a body. Not confirming whether it was her or not. The body was found floating in a pond at 7:30 tonight...

 

Oh how sad. What a sick world we live in :(

[Colleen]

They found a body. Not confirming whether it was her or not.

 

I started to check back on this thread and then thought, "Do I really want to know?" It's just horrid to contemplate...

[Colleen]

It is odd, isn't it, that she went for a run at 7 a.m., didn't return home by 9 a.m. as expected, and was reported missing at after 2 p.m. by a friend. In other words, her husband didn't report her missing. One wonders. And I hate that I wonder, but time and time again, these stories turn out to be a matter of the victim being killed by someone known to her/him.

 

On the other hand, I would have to go missing a lot longer than a handful of hours before the thought would cross Hans' mind to report me missing. He just doesn't think that way. He always assumes the best and would just think I'd stopped somewhere ~ to have a coffee, visit someone, whatever ~ and not let him know. Which I very well may not, since we don't generally relate the minutia of our comings and goings.

 

Still, I do wonder now about this story...

[Danestress]

The friend reported her missing after talking to the husband and not feeling right about something. So that makes me wonder.....

 

I do think people overestimate how dangerous the world is sometimes. I walk on a greenway alone pretty regularly, and I know a lot of you wouldn't. I guess it is pretty isolated and it's not totally "safe." But I know three women who have been assaulted by men with weapons. One was in a pharmacy, one was in the parking lot at the YMCA and one was in a parking lot at a strip mall, and all three were in the middle of the day. I don't know any women who refuse to go to strip malls because they might be dangerous, but many won't walk or run alone, and to me, it would feel very sad and I would feel quite "caged in" not to be able to walk alone.

[Colleen]

The friend reported her missing after talking to the husband and not feeling right about something. So that makes me wonder.....

 

Hmmm...

 

I do think people overestimate how dangerous the world is sometimes. I walk on a greenway alone pretty regularly, and I know a lot of you wouldn't. I guess it is pretty isolated and it's not totally "safe." But I know three women who have been assaulted by men with weapons. One was in a pharmacy, one was in the parking lot at the YMCA and one was in a parking lot at a strip mall, and all three were in the middle of the day. I don't know any women who refuse to go to strip malls because they might be dangerous, but many won't walk or run alone, and to me, it would feel very sad and I would feel quite "caged in" not to be able to walk alone.

 

Yes, you and I have both shared here before sentiments along these lines. (Not saying you shouldn't share them again, just pointing out that you and I are on the same page.:))

[DB in NJ]

Oh, Lord....

 

They found a body. Not confirming whether it was her or not. The body was found floating in a pond at 7:30 tonight...

 

In a press conference this morning, police told reporters that an autopsy is being performed. They wouldn't comment on what clothing was on the body they found. They did say it was within a 5 mile radius of the missing woman's home. The husband is cooperating fully.

 

He said on the phone with Fox News yesterday that he got concerned when she didn't come back after lunch. He said she usually was gone for an hour or two when she went on a run. You've already talked about how the friend got concerned and called the dh, etc.

 

One really curious statement was made at the press conference: the police said that the public need not be alarmed; while the death is suspicious, there is no indication that this was anything other than an isolated incident. Sounds like they're just trying to reassure the public; however, the way they worded it made it sound like it was either suicide or murder by someone she knew.

 

There's another press conference at 5 this afternoon.

[mommaduck]

subbing for updates

[unsinkable]

The body found is the body of the missing mom, Nancy Cooper.

[Plucky]

The body found is the body of the missing mom, Nancy Cooper.

 

Are they thinking it's the husband?

[LizzyBee]

Are they thinking it's the husband?

 

They're not calling him a suspect. They might just be trying to reassure the public because there have been several women assaulted or approached on trails in the area over the past year or so.

[Stacia]

Sad story.

 

I did want to mention that for those of you who are runners or walkers & go out alone w/out carrying id, here's a tip I read long ago (in case you end up ill or needing medical assistance) -- put a return address label in the back of your shirt, near where the tag in your shirt normally is. Morbid, I know, but I figured I would mention it.

[Doran]

It's tragic and it leaves me disillusioned. I wish the reports didn't make it seem as though the husband was hiding something, even though I know he has not been named as a suspect and he is cooperating fully. More than that, I can't imagine how awful it will be if they determine it was him. It's like unsinkable said, there's just no way to make this okay - no matter what they determine after the investigation it's still just a horrible thing. Those poor, poor kids.

[Julpost]

I live in a very affluent small, small town in a small development. I used to run by myself until one day, there was a totally out of place old brown van that passed me, I turned down a street and noticed it pass by again shortly after. They could've just turned around but it just seemed weird to me and ever since, I just don't go outside my cul-de-sac by myself in the evening. Not even with my dog. There's a small woody area that I get the creeps walking by if I'm by myself. It's probably all in my imagination....it just makes me a little sad because I do feel a tiny bit caged in!

[DB in NJ]

I am very, very sad tonight....

[LizzyBee]

They are still not calling the husband a suspect, but custody of the children was given to Nancy's parents and sister today. Also, the police went back to the house last evening to collect additional evidence - the neighbors said they had lots of empty boxes when they went into the house.

[unsinkable]

From wral.com:

 

Slain mom's family seeks custody of young daughters

 

Posted: Today at 6:21 a.m.

Updated: 34 minutes ago

 

Cary, N.C. — The family of a missing Cary woman whose body was found Monday in an undeveloped subdivision has been granted temporary custody of her two young daughters from the husband.

 

In a petition for permanent custody filed in Wake County Wednesday afternoon, Nancy Cooper's parents, Garry and Donna Rentz, and sister, Krista Lister, claim Cooper's husband, Brad Cooper, has a history of emotional instability and that in the months prior to her death, he engaged "in a pattern of emotional abuse" at Cooper and the children.

 

They also claim he attempted suicide as a teenager, and threatened to commit suicide in the "winter of 2008."

 

"Because of the intense scrutiny he is currently facing in the ongoing criminal investigation, there is a substantial risk of bodily injury to the children while in the defendant's custody," they said in the claim.

 

A hearing on the matter is scheduled for July 25.

 

Cary police Chief Pat Bazemore said at a news conference Thursday morning that investigators still have no suspects or persons of interest in the 34-year-old stay-at-home mom's death and that Brad Cooper is cooperating with investigators.

 

She would not comment on the custody case, saying it is a private civil matter but did say that any information that comes from it " will be considered by our investigators as we move forward in this case."

 

Brad Cooper told police his wife went out for a jog on the morning of July 12 but never returned. A concerned friend called 911 when she failed to show up for a meeting later that afternoon.

 

Rentz and Lister say in the filing that Brad Cooper never reported his wife missing and never contacted them to inform them of her disappearance. They say they do not believe based on the information they have received, that Cooper ever went jogging.

 

Brad Cooper told WRAL News the day after his wife disappeared that the couple had been having marital problems. Cary police also confirmed that during a news conference on Monday.

 

Wednesday's court filing claims Brad Cooper was having a sexual relationship with another woman prior to Cooper's death and that Nancy Cooper retained counsel in March to "resolve all pending issues, including child custody related to her impending separation form the defendant."

 

Rentz and Lister also claim Brad Cooper withheld funds and refused to provide adequate financial support to his wife and the children.

 

She was in "such desperate financial situation that she was forced to borrow funds from Plaintiffs to purchase groceries and necessaries for herself and the minor children," the petition reads.

 

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