Two months after Frances Wartenburg disappeared without a trace, her family and friends are continuing their efforts to learn where she went or what happened to her.
Wartenburg, 33, of Winfield, hasn’t been seen or heard from since February 22. A friend, Allison Thaxton, said Wartenburg went missing from her boyfriend’s Jefferson apartment, where a phone and driver’s license were found, along with clothes and personal items.
Kanawha County Sheriff’s Detective Ana Pile said the department is working hard to find the woman, but so far no evidence has been found as to her wherabouts. Pile did not say whether criminal activity is suspected in the disappearance.
“Anytime a person is missing for this length of time without contacting their family, an investigation is conducted,” Pile said. “While it isn’t necessarily a criminal investigation, we thoroughly document the circumstances and search for answers in ways similar to criminal investigations. Evidence has been collected, records are being reviewed, and people are being interviewed.”
Sandra Wartenburg, Frances’ mother, said in a statement that hope is waning with each passing hour that her child remains missing. A Facebook group with more than 1,300 members has been organized to help spread the word, but so far, Pile said it’s been difficult to determine the value of any tips.
“I want her back,” Sandra Wartenburg said. “My life is not the same because I see her from a distance and hear her voice, then I realize my eyes and ears are playing tricks on my heart. You could never know my pain unless you have lived this.”