Authorities suspect foul play in the disappearance of two Kansas moms, Veronica Butler and Jilian Kelley, who went missing in a rural part of Texas County, Oklahoma. The car they were traveling in was found abandoned in a remote area, leading investigators to believe that foul play may have been involved in their disappearance. The women were on their way to pick up Butler’s children when they vanished, leaving behind a car near a school Butler had graduated from in 2015.
Butler, 27, and Kelley, 39, were traveling to pick up Butler’s daughter and son from her ex-mother-in-law’s home in Eva, Oklahoma. When they failed to arrive, Butler’s ex-husband discovered the car on the side of the road near a school where Butler had graduated. Kelley, who was also a mother of four, had accompanied Butler to help with a custody issue. The circumstances surrounding their disappearance have led authorities to suspect foul play, prompting them to issue an Endangered Missing Advisory for the two mothers.
Kelley, the wife of a preacher and secretary of the Hugoton First Christian Church in Kansas, was known for her volunteer work with the church’s children’s programs. Her husband has recently taken a new ministerial position at Willow Christian Church in Nebraska. The community and congregation of the Hugoton First Christian Church are deeply concerned about the disappearance of Kelley and Butler, asking for prayers and assistance in spreading the word to help find them. Yarbrough School, near where the women disappeared, went into lockdown status following their disappearance.
While the investigation continues, friends and family of Butler and Kelley are hoping for their safe return. The community is hoping for a swift resolution to the case, but understand the challenges of finding missing persons after the initial 24-48 hours have passed. The Oklahoma State Bureau has made no arrests in connection with the disappearance of the two mothers, but they suspect they may be in danger. The remote rural area where they were last seen, combined with the lack of contact with them, has raised concerns about their safety and well-being.
