Woman who vanished from home 63 years ago 'found alive and well' - and 'has no regrets'
A woman who went missing 60 years ago has been found alive and well.
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Audrey Backeberg disappeared from the small town of Reedsburg in the US state of Wisconsin in July 1962, aged 20.
Police searched for Ms Backeberg at the time but were unable to find her.
The case was reopened again this year as part of a push to solve old cold cases.
Local detectives went back over the case files, combing through the evidence and re-interviewing witnesses.
Eventually they found Ms Backeberg, who is now living in another state and is in her eighties.
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Officers said she disappeared of her own volition, rather than because she was abducted or any other criminal activity.
Ms Backeberg, who was married with two children when she disappeared, may have suffered marital issues, police believe.
At the time, a babysitter claimed she and Ms Backeberg had hitchhiked to Madison, the capital city of Wisconsin, before catching a bus hundreds of miles to Indianapolis.
The babysitter said she became nervous and decided to go home, while Ms Backeberg was determined to continue.
The detective who eventually tracked Ms Backeberg down said she was "happy" and had "no regrets" about her decision to leave.
"I think she just was removed and, you know, moved on from things and kind of did her own thing and led her life," he said."
Detectives from Sauk County Sheriff’s Office said they were "pleased to announce the resolution of a decades-old missing person case involving Audrey Backeberg, who disappeared in July 1962".
"At the time of her disappearance, Audrey was 20 years old and residing in the City of Reedsburg," they added.
"Over the years, investigators pursued numerous leads in an effort to determine Audrey’s whereabouts. Despite these efforts, the case eventually went cold.
"Earlier this year, the case was assigned to a Sheriff’s Office Detective for a comprehensive review as part of an ongoing examination of cold case files.
"Through diligent investigative work, which included a thorough re-evaluation of all case files and evidence, combined with re-interviewing witnesses and uncovering new insights.
"The Sheriff’s Office is now able to report that Audrey Backeberg is alive and well and currently resides out of State. Further investigation has revealed that Ms. Backeberg’s disappearance was by her own choice and not the result of any criminal activity or foul play.
"The Sheriff’s Office would like to acknowledge the work of Investigators, both past and present.
"Despite the significant challenges that many cold cases present, this resolution underscores both the importance of continued work and the dedication of the Sheriff’s Office to providing answers to families and the community."