Missing woman’smom: Reward may help ‘becausemoney talks’
Money being raisedfor a reward about thewhereabouts of amissing Miamisburg woman has her mother hopeful of learningwhat happened to her daughter.
Since reporting Chelsey Coe missing in September 2017, Shula Woodworth’s goal of finding the Lebanon native has evolved into a need for closure as a pair of high-profile, multi-day searches by the FBI and local authorities have yet to yield solid answers.
“So I thought we could raise some money, because money talks sometimes,” Wood worth told this news organization.
“If they’ re going to get $5,000 in their pocket and they know what happened, they’re going to do it,” she added. “They’re going to give up somebody for that kind of money.... you never know.”
A gofundme account has been createdwith the goal of offering a reward for information that leads to the whereabouts of Coe, who Woodworth said graduated from Springboro High School.
Miamisburg police said they have reason to believe Coe disappeared in June 2017, and the chances of her still being alive are “unlikely.” Sgt. Jeff Muncy said investigators have a person of interest but are not narrowing their focus by ruling out others.
Coe was 25 whenWoodworth reported her missing last year, prompting Miamisburg police
to investigate. Since May, police have held two extensive searches for clues about her disappearance. Both efforts have involved the FBI and the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation.
During last week’s threeday search of Sugarcreek MetroPark inGreeneCounty, Muncy also urged anyone with information aboutCoe’s whereabouts to step forward – even if it is anonymously.
The goal of the gofundme account is to raise $5,000. “Chelsey’s been missing for a year now; her family and friends want to be able to bring her home, so we’re doing this fund raiser sowe can do that,” according to gofundme account posted on Woodworth’s Facebook page. “This money is to be used as a rewardfor information as to herwhereabouts. We appreciate any and all help thanks in advance for your support.”
Raising reward money for information that leads to her daughter’s whereabouts, Woodworth said, gives her a sense of purpose.
“Rather than sit idle, I’d rather do something,” she said. “You can’t just sit and do nothing. It’s been long enough not doing anything.”
Lawenforcement’s threeday search in Sugarcreek – which involved closing the 618-acre park several hours each day - included dogs and covered about two-thirds of the property, Muncy said.
That effort followed a search in early May when federal, state and local agencies closed a section ofLower Miamisburg Road while they raided the home that was Coe’s last known address. Ground was excavated and neighboring propertieswere searched.
As time has passed since her daughter’s disappearance, Woodworth said she gets daily messages from people concerned about any news on Coe.
“Every day I get a phone call,” she said, “fromsomebody newthat knewChelsey and asking ‘Have you heard anything? I hate to bother you, but I just wanted to check up if you’ve heard anything on Chelsey. Imiss her so much.’”