#1 reader story of 2012: Evansdale abductions

Cousins Lyric Cook and Elizabeth Collins go missing from Evansdale in July, and despite efforts of law enforcement and volunteers, are not found until December, when their bodies are discovered by hunters in the Seven Bridges Wildlife Area in Bremer County.

STORIES FROM THE YEAR:

• Dec. 30 -- Iowa town seeks closure in girl's memorial service
• Dec. 21 -- Reward for clues in Evansdale abduction rises
• Dec. 17 -- Key Senate chairman opposes reinstating death penalty in Iowa
• Dec. 13 -- Family of Elizabeth Collins speak about case
• Dec. 13 -- Branstad to meet with parents of missing, killed Iowa children
• Dec. 12 -- School counselors offer advice on helping children deal with grief
• Dec. 10 -- Bodies found in Bremer County are missing cousins, autopsy confirms
• Dec. 10 -- Officials leave Bremer County park where bodies were found
• Dec. 10 -- Iowa leaders consider changes to missing persons notification system
• Dec. 10 -- TIMELINE: Search for girls reported missing in Evansdale
• Dec. 9 -- Iowa lawmaker says he plans to introduce death penalty bill
• Dec. 9 -- Social media stirs worldwide sympathy for abducted cousins
• Dec. 7 -- Police say they're hoping to find ‘killer' of missing Iowa cousins
• Dec. 6 -- Officials 'confident' that remains are those of missing cousins
• Dec. 6 -- Bremer County sheriff confirms bodies were found in wildlife area
• Dec. 6 -- Branstad: Evansdale case shows Iowa should re-evaluate child safety laws
• Dec. 6 -- Dozens show support for missing girls, families at Evansdale lake
• Dec. 5 -- Hunters locate remains; possibly missing cousins
• Nov. 19 -- New reward fund organized for missing cousins
• Nov. 14 -- Feds to drop petition against Misty Cook-Morrissey
• Nov. 13 -- Mother of missing Iowa girl raises awareness in Davenport stop
• Nov. 13 -- Parents of missing Iowa girls write open letter to kidnappers
• Nov. 12 -- Mother of missing Iowa girl to appear in federal court for probation hearing
• Oct. 18 -- Steps in search for missing girls being retraced in Evansdale
• Oct. 2 -- Birthday gathering planned for girl who went missing in Evansdale
• Sept. 13 -- Evansdale marks two months since cousins' disappearance
• Sept. 12 -- Organizers plan prayer vigil two months after Iowa girls' disappearance
• Sept. 6 -- Iowa DCI accepting tips on missing cousins via email
• Sept. 3 -- Iowa should have uniform standards on missing children, Cedar Falls woman says
• Aug. 22 -- Family members, police still urgently searching for missing Iowa girls
• Aug. 13 -- Search for missing Iowa cousins hits one-month mark
• Aug. 7 -- Iowa State Fair booth to feature information on missing girls
• Aug. 3 -- Investigators return to lake in search for missing girls, but ‘no positive results'
• Aug. 3 -- Missing Iowa girls get NASCAR drivers' attention
• Aug. 2 -- Cedar Rapids police investigating several tips on white vans
• Aug. 2 -- Evansdale alert prompted by Cedar Rapids abduction attempt, FBI confirms
• Aug. 1 -- Man questioned in Evansdale abduction case not a suspect, FBI says
• Aug. 1 -- Possible link between abduction attempt, missing girls probed
• July 31 -- On missing girl's birthday, volunteers thanked for helping with search
• July 30 -- Missing girl's birthday is Tuesday
• July 30 -- Missing Iowa girls' families struggle with worry, fear
• July 26 -- Collins family maintains hope in search for missing girls
• July 26 -- Supporters hope pink-themed items keep focus on search for missing girls
• July 26 -- TV station to turn over raw video in missing girls investigation
• July 25 -- Waiting, prayer continue in Evansdale
• July 25 -- Experts share child safety tips as search for missing girls hits Day 13
• July 24 -- Grandma unsure how missing girls biked to lake
• July 23 -- Mother of missing Evansdale girl says she passed second polygraph test
• July 22 -- Police believe missing Iowa girls still alive
• July 20 -- Police say girls abducted in Evansdale
• July 19 -- Officials stop draining Evansdale's Meyers Lake at FBI's request
• July 19 -- Family members of missing girls say they're done talking to authorities
• July 19 -- Observers at Evansdale lake ‘somber' as search for missing girls continues
• July 18 -- Searchers plan to continue examining lake, landfill in search for missing girls
• July 18 -- Officials plan to comb through trash in search for missing girls
• July 18 -- Evansdale community holds out hope, even as time passes
• July 18 -- Police weigh secrecy, public help in missing person cases
• July 18 -- Mother of abducted Johnny Gosch: ‘I know all too well what it's like'
• July 17 -- 'A different summer' after girls' disappearance
• July 17 -- Family ‘trying to remain positive' in search for missing cousins
• July 17 -- Vigil for missing Evansdale girls draws hundreds
• July 17 -- Community waits for Evansdale lake to drain as search continues
• July 16 -- Officials draining lake where girls' bikes found
• July 16 -- Search resuming for missing Evansdale girls
• July 14 -- Mom thinks Evansdale girls abducted
• July 14 -- Evansdale police search for two missing girls