Missing mother-of-two Madeline Kingsbury was exchanging humorous text messages with her sister the morning she disappeared from her Minnesota town.
The 26-year-old failed to show up for work on March 31 after she was last seen at her home on Kerry Drive, Winona around 10 a.m. — about an hour and 45 minutes after she sent her last text to sister Megan at 8: 15 hours
Madeline was last seen by her children’s father after they dropped off their five-year-old girl and two-year-old boy at the nursery at around 8 a.m.
The co-parent, whose name has not been released, told authorities he had left the house and when he returned, Madeline was gone.
She did not show up for work and her loved ones said she did not respond to several calls and messages. Madeline also did not pick up her children later that day.
Madeline Kingsbury sent one last funny text message to her sister the morning she disappeared from her home in Winona, Minnesota on March 13
Mother-of-two sister Megan Kingsbury (above) revealed the last message she received from Madeline at 8:15am, hours before she went missing out of the blue
“We were chuckling about a funny photo exchange between us, and that was the last communication with me, or with any of my family or her other friends,” Megan shared. Fox news of her sister’s last message.
Shortly after sending the text, Madeline was last seen by her children’s father after they dropped their children off at daycare and returned home.
Madeline’s family wasn’t worried about her until the night her mother told her she hadn’t heard from her daughter.
“For years, since her first child was born, which is now five years ago, I’ve talked to her several times a day — FaceTime, phone, text,” Megan said.
“She communicates with us about every minute detail.
“The concern really started on the evening of Friday, March 31. My mother messaged me asking if I had heard from my sister that day because my mother had sent a number of messages with no response,” she said.
Madeline left her phone, wallet and ID at her house and it is unclear if she left the house of her own accord.
“This is very different from them. She’s not the type of person who wants to take a break and not tell anyone.
“If she had a problem and wanted to leave, she would come to my house,” Megan said.
Megan added that her sister had plans to go to her house with her five-year-old daughter the next morning.
Madeline’s disappearance sparked a massive search in Minnesota. In the photo: people looking for her
The 26-year-old dropped off her two children at the nursery and returned home with her children’s father, who told authorities he had left home at 10 a.m.
At around 10 a.m., the children’s father left their home in a dark blue 2014 Chrysler Town and Country minivan, he told authorities. In the photo: Madeline’s house
Madeline’s family was not worried about her until the night when her mother made her aware that she had not heard from her daughter.
Police Chief Tom Williams said last week they believe Madeline’s disappearance was “involuntary” and are “concerned for her safety.”
Using surveillance video, police discovered a van that matched the description of the van that the father of her children said was driving in Fillmore County between 10 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. Friday, police said. La Crosse grandstand.
“Based on the investigation, we know that the children were dropped off at the nursery and the van returned home,” Williams said.
They could not confirm who was driving the van at the time. They are asking residents in both counties to check their own security cameras to see if they noticed the minibus.
“The investigation into what happened upon returning home is still open and ongoing,” he added.
Winona police have not offered a suspect, but have told residents to check their own surveillance cameras for a dark blue minibus “passing by or stopping” in the city of Winona, Wilson Township and Hillsdale Township between 8 a.m., March 31, and 4 p.m. on April 1.
It is unclear that she left her house of her own accord as she left her phone, wallet and ID in her house
Winona police chief Tom Williams (pictured centre) said that based on their investigation Kingsbury’s disappearance is suspicious
Speaking at a news conference Wednesday, Kingsbury’s family offered a $50,000 reward for information leading to her return, according to ABC news.
“Please help us find Madeline,” her sister, Megan Kingsbury, said. “Her children need their mother. We need our daughter, sister, aunt, and best friend back.”
She is described as 5 feet 4 inches, weighing about 135 pounds, with brown hair and hazel eyes.
Megan Kingsbury described her sister as a “hard-working and dedicated mom” who doubles her job at the Mayo Clinic with a graduate degree.
“Our thoughts go out to Kingsbury’s family and we are asking everyone to help us get her home safely,” Winona police said on Monday.