HOLLAND, Mich. – On Monday afternoon news that Emelene VanDyke, a mother of three missing for month a month, was found safe reached Courtnie Turpin.
“She was my best friend,” Turpin said. ”She was in my wedding four months ago, so it doesn’t make sense to me.”
Holland police say officers in New Mexico found VanDyke’s car at a hotel in Roswell. Police were able to speak with the 36-year-old and learned that she had left on her own and was not in any danger.
Police say VanDyke knew she had been reported missing but for personal reasons never reached out to anyone.
Turpin says she can only imagine what VanDyke’s family has been going through this past month.
“Hard, there is no other way to put it,” she said. ”I’m 35 and I’m taking it had so I’m sure they are taking it hard.”
Turpin admits that she was a little angry to find out that VanDyke left on her own.
Turpin knows a lot of effort went into the search for her friend. According to Captain Jack Dykstra, with the Holland Department of Public Safety, more than 80 hours of police work were devoted to the search for VanDyke.
Despite no reunion with her family, VanDyke has been removed from the missing persons database freeing up investigators to do other work.
5 Comments to “Loved Ones Relieved And Frustrated After Missing Holland Woman Found”
March 19, 2013 at 1:00 AM
Physio
March 19, 2013 at 8:21 AM
Nice lady. This tells her friends that they really mean nothing to her. She should be fined the cost of the search, shame on her.
March 19, 2013 at 9:40 AM
What is wrong with people these days??? If you want a different life, have at it. But at least tell people you are leaving. You don't have to tell them where you're going. But tell them you're leaving. What about her children??? What have they been going through this last month?? Poor kids!! Yes, I think she should be charged for the 80 hours of police work. Why should the tax payers have to pay for her selfishness??
March 19, 2013 at 12:03 PM
Maybe there are some issues like abuse or other things… sometimes you just gotta go. Feel bad for the kids, but, maybe they are better off where they are.
March 19, 2013 at 12:19 PM
I believe it is a big possibility that this could be linked to the disappearance of the man from Big Rapids. I wonder if the police thought to ask her about that when they questioned her in the hotel parking lot. I mean maybe he was there in a room at the time. It just seems like there is a good possibility that there may be a connection between these two cases.