Authorities in the Waterloo area are putting out the word about a possible scam claiming to raise money for the murdered cousins from Evansdale. Two boys are reportedly going door-to-door, seeking money they said was for the girls, Lyric Cook and Elizabeth Collins, who vanished last summer and were found dead months later.
One of the homes targeted belongs to an acquaintance of Collins’ mother, Heather. She was notified and reported it. Captain Rick Abben, at the Black Hawk County Sheriff’s Office, says fundraising for Angels Park is being handled differently.
“That is not the procedure that’s being done and there’s no door-to-door solicitation being done for this,” Abben says. “The only way funds are being raised for that is through private donations or through fundraisers.” Abben offers these tips if you’re unsure about contributing.
“What people can do if someone shows up at their door doing that, just tell them you’re not going to contribute,” he says, “or if they have questions, ask for verification. Usually people will have some type of brochure they can hand out. They can always call law enforcement to make sure the charity is legitimate.”
Abben says investigators are working to find the boys involved in the case. The girls’ killer was never found.
By Jesse Gavin, KCNZ, Cedar Falls