Nearly 2,000 volunteers help search for missing Minnesota mother

(WINONA, Minn.) — Nearly 2,000 volunteers turned out on Friday to help search rural terrain for any clues in the disappearance of a Minnesota mother who has been missing for a week under “suspicious” circumstances, authorities said.

Madeline Kingsbury, 26, of Winona, has been missing since March 31, police said. The mother of two did not show up to work that day and failed to pick up her children from day care that afternoon, which is “extremely out of character for her,” police said.

On Friday, more than 1,860 volunteers searched areas in Winona and about 24 miles south in Rushford, the Winona Police Department said.

“This is tough terrain, and we are grateful to the hundreds of volunteers who are taking their personal time to assist with the search,” Winona Police Chief Tom Williams said during a press briefing.

There are currently no suspects or persons of interest in the case, authorities said.

Williams said they have received hundreds of leads and that the investigation remains “incredibly active.”

“We are working relentlessly to find Maddi and determine the circumstances around her disappearance,” Williams said.

Kingsbury and her children’s father dropped the children off at a day care shortly after 8 a.m. on March 31 before returning to her home in Winona, according to Williams. The children’s father told police he left the house in Kingsbury’s van around 10 a.m., but when he returned later that day, Kingsbury was not there, Williams said at a press conference earlier this week.

There is no indication Kingsbury left home on foot or in another vehicle, and her cellphone, wallet and ID were found in the house, Williams said.

Williams declined on Friday to say whether the father of the children is participating in the search or clarify how he has been cooperating with authorities.

Authorities have called for volunteers to help with search efforts on Saturday.